Kanagawa Gov. Shigefumi Matsuzawa petitioned the central government April 7 to set up a special panel under the Japan-U.S. Joint Committee to directly reflect the voices of base-hosting local authorities.

The demand is in response to the recent series of serious crimes allegedly committed by U.S. servicemen.

But Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura took a cautious stance and was quoted by Matsuzawa as saying in talks in Tokyo that while the government will consider a channel of communications, there would be "difficulties" in creating such a panel under the Joint Committee framework because it would involve both governments.