September 15, 2010

A citizens’ group opposing the transfer of the U.S. carrier-borne aircraft to the U.S. Iwakuni Base in Yamaguchi Prefecture petitioned the Iwakuni City mayor to urge the national government to revise the Japan-U.S. Status Forces of Agreement (SOFA).

This petition was made because the U.S. forces insist that it has the right to exercise primary jurisdiction over the September 7 car accident committed by a civilian employee of the U.S. Iwakuni base.

The Iwakuni Police on September 7 arrested Jamie M. Wallace, a civilian attached to the U.S. Marine Corps Iwakuni Air Station, for allegedly killing a 66-year-old Japanese man in a car accident.

The petition demands that the suspect should be punished according to relevant Japanese laws, and that the Japan-U.S. SOFA should be revised to one in which Japan has the primary jurisdiction over crimes and accidents committed by U.S. servicemen and attached civilian personnel.
- Akahata, September 15, 2010