U.S. BUDGES ON OKINAWA

Defense Secretary William Perry has pledged to consider reducing U.S. military presence in Okinawa, the Japanese island where 58,000 people rallied Saturday in one of several protests over the rape of a 12-year-old girl. Three U.S. servicement have been charged, but Pentagon correspondent Mark Thompson says anti-U.S. pressure isn't the prime mover. "This is in keeping with the nation's decision to scale back the number of American troops stationed worldwide. The fact that it comes at the time of this rape controversy just makes the timing that much more neat. But the policy has already been set. I won't be surprised at all to see the number go down." The issue of troop reduction is expected to come up when Perry visits Japan next week and when President Clinton meets Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama in November. About 30,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Okinawa.