Newsfrom Japan

Tokyo, Jan. 16 (Jiji Press)—Outgoing US Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy expressed her gratitude on Monday to the people of Okinawa Prefecture, southernmost Japan, as part of a farewell video message.

"I'm grateful to the people of Okinawa for helping me to better understand their struggle and our shared history," Kennedy said in the message released the same day.

"I hope we continue to work together to achieve our common goals," she added, stressing the importance of bilateral cooperation on issues in the prefecture.

Okinawa hosts the bulk of US military bases in Japan.

Kennedy also thanked Japanese government officials, including Prime Minister Abe Shinzō and Foreign Minister Kishida Fumio , "for welcoming [US] President [Barack] Obama to Hiroshima and for visiting Pearl Harbor just last month."

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]