A spate of sexual assaults have reportedly been committed by American service members on Okinawa Island in the past year
Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi has urged the American military stationed on Okinawa Island to make changes to prevent further sex crimes, following a fifth sexual assault incident involving a US Marine in just over a year, it was reported on Thursday.
The most recent case, in which a serviceman in his 30s was accused of raping a woman, resulting in injury in November. The incident reignited concerns among Okinawa residents, Hayashi said. The southernmost prefecture is home to the majority of American military facilities in Japan.
“We will urge US forces in Japan to strengthen discipline and fully implement preventive measures,” added Hayashi, who is the minister responsible for mitigating the impact of US forces in Okinawa.
The assault allegedly took place in a building located in the central part of Okinawa’s main island, according to a source. The woman reported the incident to local police immediately afterwards. The serviceman accused of rape has been referred to prosecutors for possible charges, local media reported, citing a police spokesman.
Under the Japan-US Status of Forces Agreement, American military personnel are generally kept in US custody until they are formally charged in Japan, unless they are apprehended at the crime scene.
“There have been five serious and heinous crimes in the past year that have disregarded the human rights and dignity of women,” Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki said in a statement on Wednesday, as quoted by local media. “I believe there is a need to lodge strong protests with both the Japanese and US governments,” he added.
The incident is the latest in a spate of violent assaults against women in Okinawa. In December, a Japanese court convicted Senior Airman Brennon Washington of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl a year earlier, sentencing him to five years in prison with hard labor. He has appealed the verdict. In June, a Marine lance corporal was indicted for attempted sexual assault, and in September, another Marine lance corporal was charged with injuring a woman during a sexual assault.
Opposition to the US military presence is strong in Okinawa due to issues such as aircraft noise, pollution, and crimes committed by American personnel, according to reports. Local residents were particularly outraged last year when local media revealed that the Japanese government had failed to report two sexual assault cases involving American service members.
Police claimed that it had not disclosed the incidents due to the need to protect victims’ privacy.
