Media reports Japan strongly advicing ally to stop sex crimes at army bases
Date
1/12/2025 7:42:02 AM
(MENAFN) Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi has urged the U.S. military in Okinawa to implement stricter measures to prevent further sexual assaults, following a recent incident in which a U.S. Marine was accused of raping a woman in November. This was the fifth such crime involving a U.S. serviceman in just over a year, reigniting concerns among Okinawa residents about the presence of American military bases on the island.
Hayashi emphasized the need for stronger discipline within the U.S. military and enhanced preventive actions. The latest assault occurred in a building on Okinawa’s main island, and the accused Marine has been referred to prosecutors. Under the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement, U.S. personnel are generally kept in U.S. custody until formally charged unless caught at the crime scene.
Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki condemned the crimes, noting that the recent assaults disregarded women’s rights and dignity. He called for strong protests to both the Japanese and U.S. governments. The U.S. military presence in Okinawa has long been controversial, with local opposition stemming from issues like crimes committed by personnel, noise, and pollution. There has been particular outrage over the Japanese government’s failure to report two other sexual assault cases involving American servicemen last year.
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