Definition: In this task, a passage will be given and the goal is to identify an event from the passage. An event is defined as a single word representing something that happened, is happening, or may happen. An event can be factual or hypothetical, positive or negative, certain or uncertain. While most events are based on verbs, an event can also be based on a noun (ex. storm, snow, rainfall) or a copula verb (is, was, been, etc.). The event must not be a pronoun or an adjective. For noun events with multiple words, use the last word in the phrase as event.
Input: Passage: In an opening round of talks late Monday with Japanese Defense Agency director Fumio Kyuma, Cohen reaffirmed Washington's determination to maintain US troops levels in the Asia-Pacific region at 100,000, Pentagon spokesman Kenneth Bacon said. Amid protests over the US military presence, landowners in Okinawa have refused to renew leases on US facilities when they expire in May, prompting Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto to seek passage of a law to override the landowners.

refused