Japan-U.S. talks to address off-base conduct after Okinawa murder

TOKYO - Japan-U.S. talks on steps to prevent crimes by U.S. military personnel following the alleged murder of a local woman by a U.S. Marine in Okinawa will address the issue of off-base conduct, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said Tuesday.

Motegi told a Diet committee that senior working-level consultations between the two countries, launched last week over "effective" ways to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents, will tackle the U.S. military's "liberty policy" that governs off-base conduct in Japan and joint patrols by U.S. forces and Japanese police among other topics.