US replaces senior diplomat after his comments irk Japan

TOKYO - The United States replaced a senior diplomat handling policy toward Japan on Thursday and apologized after his reported comments threatened to strain ties between the allies at a time of political deadlock in Tokyo.

A senior US official who is visiting Tokyo acknowledged the reported remarks had done some harm to ties between the world's No 1 and No 3 economies, but said the two countries would press ahead with efforts to strengthen and broaden their alliance.

Kevin Maher, director of the office of Japan affairs at the State Department, was quoted by media as telling US students that residents of Japan's southern Okinawa island - host to about half of the US military in Japan - were masters of "manipulation" and "extortion".