U.S. sailor suspected of committing assault runs away

Akahata on April 24 reported that a U.S. sailor who had been taken to the U.S. base under police escort on suspicion of assaulting a Japanese citizen in Sasebo City in Nagasaki Prefecture fled the base on April 9. The soldier was still missing as of April 23.

The 19-year-old U.S. soldier is a crew member of the USS Essex, a 40,532-ton Wasp-class amphibious assault landing craft (AALC) vessel.

On the evening of April 9, he hit a man who was on his way home from work in the head and shoulder. The soldier was inebriated at the time he was taken to the police station.

Since the victim did not report the incident to the police, the suspect was handed over to U.S. base authorities on the same day. The following day, the sailor was found to be missing.

The USS Essex has been deployed at Sasebo since last June. (end)