Japan Foreign Minister Visits Honolulu Cemetery

Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara has paid his respects to U.S. war dead at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.

Maehara is visiting Honolulu Wednesday to meet and discuss regional security with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Maehara became foreign minister in September after Prime Minister Naoto Kan reshuffled his cabinet. He's also Kan's point man on the thorny issue of relocating a U.S. Marine base in Okinawa.

Maehara laid a wreathe with orchids and red anthuriums at the cemetery, also known as Punchbowl. He also bowed and signed a guest book before leaving to meet with Clinton.