Japan Times reports that “Defense Minister Tomomi Inada and Gen. Robert Neller, commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps, agreed Wednesday to cooperate over the return of roughly half of a large U.S. military training area in Okinawa Prefecture, Defense Ministry officials said.”

“The Japanese government seeks the return of the land within the United States’ Northern Training Area by year-end to demonstrate it is taking steps to ease Okinawa’s base-hosting burden.”

“’I call for continued cooperation (by the United States) as we are making diligent efforts,’ said Inada in Tokyo at her first meeting with Neller, according to the officials. She took office in August.”