Xinhua Asia-Pacific news summary at 1600 GMT, Dec. 2

TOKYO -- Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga on Saturday called for revising the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) during his meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono in Naha, Okinawa.

"People in Okinawa are enduring significant anxiety," Onaga told Kono, citing the repeated criminal cases involving U.S. servicemen and military-linked personnel. (Japan-Okinawa Governor-Call)

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PHNOM PENH -- Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen said on Saturday that the government had decided not to shut down the Cambodian Center for Human Rights (CCHR), a NGO founded by jailed opposition leader Kem Sokha.

The prime minister said the decision was made after the CCHR provided a clear explanation about its human rights activities and the Ministry of Interior found that this center had not involved in any offences (Cambodia-CCHR-Decision)

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JAKARTA -- At least 20 were killed and five others are still missing as landslides and floods struck Indonesia's East Java province, a government official from the disaster agency said on Saturday.

The landslides and floods were triggered by a cyclone from the Indian Ocean which also swept other provinces. (Indonesia-Cyclone-Toll)

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MANILA -- Philippine presidential spokesman Harry Roque said on Saturday that the martial law will guarantee the safety and security of the public during the rebuilding of the war-torn southern city of Marawi.

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will submit its recommendation to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte on whether or not to extend the coverage of martial law to the entire Mindanao region, Roque said in a press briefing in Zamboanga City in the southern Philippines. (Philippine-Marawi-Martial Law)

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CANBERRA -- Former Australian Prime Minister John Howard has called on current PM Malcolm Turnbull to take control and end the "madness" engulfing the federal government, after a state colleague recently called for Turnbull to resign "before Christmas."

Howard, who was in the top job between 1996 and 2007 and the second longest-serving prime minister in Australia's history, on Saturday declared that the Turnbull government needed to work together to ensure a successful term in charge, calling for an end to the infighting which has plagued the Liberal-National coalition government in recent weeks. (Australia-Former PM-Call) Enditem