Reports indicate a rise in sexual assaults allegedly perpetrated by U.S. military personnel on Okinawa Island over the past year.
Kyodo News reported that two U.S. Marines stationed in Okinawa, Japan, are being investigated for allegedly raping local women.
One Marine, in his 20s, is suspected of raping a Japanese woman in a U.S. military base bathroom last month. He also faces charges for allegedly injuring a civilian worker who intervened. Another Marine, also in his 20s, is accused of raping a woman at a different base in January, according to the report.
These incidents follow a recent increase in reported sexual assaults allegedly committed by American service members on the island. Despite only making up 1% of Japan’s territory, Okinawa hosts 70% of all U.S. military facilities in the country.
Kyodo reported that Okinawa prefectural police referred the case to prosecutors earlier this month. Japanese authorities are investigating in conjunction with the U.S. military and have voluntarily interviewed the Marines involved.
Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki, a frequent critic of the U.S. military presence in Japan, called the alleged rapes “very deplorable” and urged American military officials to implement measures to “that would be effective to prevent a similar incident.”
U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass expressed “deep” concern over the reports and stated he was troubled by the allegations.
“We deeply value the ties of trust and friendship we have built over many decades with our Japanese hosts, and I am committed to doing everything I can to prevent actions that may jeopardize these bonds,” Kyodo quoted the envoy, who arrived in Japan last week.
These cases are the latest in a string of violent attacks against women in Okinawa. In December, a Japanese court sentenced Senior Airman Brennon Washington to five years of hard labor after he was convicted of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl the previous year. Last June, a Marine lance corporal was indicted for attempted sexual assault, while another lance corporal faced charges in September for injuring a woman during a sexual assault.
Other high-profile cases, such as the 1995 abduction and rape of a 12-year-old girl by three American servicemen, have contributed to strong anti-base sentiment in Okinawa.
However, the U.S. and Japanese governments reportedly maintain that the presence of American troops in Okinawa is a deterrent given concerns about China’s military actions in the South and East China Seas, as well as North Korea’s ongoing nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
“`