April 21, 2022

Okinawa Governor Tamaki Denny on April 19 issued a comment regarding the indictment of a U.S. Marine Corps lance corporal for alleged sexual assault on a woman in the prefecture, saying that he felt a hot surge of anger against such a crime that infringes on women’s human rights.

Tamaki in his comment said that inhumane and despicable crimes committed by U.S. military personnel bring unease to local residents whose livelihoods lie side-by-side with U.S. bases.

The governor pointed out that along with the latest case, U.S. military sex crimes were repeatedly reported last year which included the case of obscene conduct by a U.S. marine in Naha City in January and the case of attempted rape by a U.S. Air Force civilian employee in the central part of Okinawa main island in April. He said, “I must say that education and management of military personnel by the U.S. forces stationed in Okinawa is totally insufficient.”

The sex crime in question occurred in October 2021. Two months later, the Naha District Public Prosecutors Office lodged an accusation against the U.S. marine.

Regarding this case, the Okinawa prefectural government explained that although the U.S. military provided information about the indictment, the prefectural government refrained from making the case public in consideration of the victim’s privacy. Meanwhile, the prefectural government also explained that at the end of last year, it summoned a U.S. military officer and officials of the Japanese and U.S. governments to lodge a protest and demand immediate implementation of effective measures to prevent a recurrence.

Past related article:
> Okinawa Prefectural Assembly unanimously protests against latest sex crime involving US marine [February 25, 2021]