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2026 October 7 - 13 TOP3 [POLITICS]

JCP holds hearing with gov’t regarding US marine’s arrest for robbery-murder

Japanese Communist Party Dietmembers on October 9 held a hearing at the Senators’ office building with government officials regarding the latest incident in Okinawa in which a U.S. marine stationed at the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station (Ginowan City) was arrested on suspicion of robbery and murder.

Those who attended the hearing were JCP Secretariat Head Koike Akira (Senate), JCP Policy Commission Chair Yamazoe Taku (Senate), JCP member of the House of Representatives Hatano Kimie, and JCP Senators Nihi Sohei and Kira Yoshiko.

Ahead of the hearing, the JCP Dietmembers submitted to the government a document which protests against the incident and demands effective preventive measures, the immediate withdrawal and closure of the Futenma base, and a fundamental review of the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA).

Other demands in the JCP document included seeking an apology and full compensation from the U.S. base authorities to the bereaved family; terminating the construction project for a new U.S. military base in Henoko; reducing and removing U.S. bases in Okinawa by such means as withdrawing the U.S. Marine Corps from the prefecture.

In the hearing, the JCP pointed out that the top U.S. military commander in Okinawa refused to apologize to Okinawans, and claimed that the U.S. military should express official apologies. However, an official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs only said, “The U.S. side expressed its deep regret.”

The JCP lawmakers stated that following the incident, the U.S. military in Okinawa implemented measures such as a “halt to all operations” for two days from noon on October 7 and a 30-day “reflection period” starting on October 9. Nevertheless, they pointed out, U.S. military aircraft flew even during the “suspension of operations” period.

The Foreign Ministry official said, “We have been informed that even during the operational pause, operations will still be conducted in the light of maintaining a readiness posture under the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty.” The JCP group said, “It is unacceptable that anything is permissible under the pretext of operations based on the bilateral security treaty.”

The JCP Dietmembers noted that the U.S. Marine Corps in Okinawa will participate in the Japan-U.S. joint exercise “Keen Sword 27” scheduled to be held nationwide from October 19. Pointing out that the training period overlaps with the “reflection period,” the JCP demanded that the Japanese government urge the U.S. side to cancel the joint drill.

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On that day, the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly adopted by majority vote a resolution protesting against the latest incident resulting in the arrest of a U.S. marine over the murder of a local woman as well as an opinion statement calling on U.S. Forces Japan and the Japanese and U.S. governments to offer an apology and full compensation to the bereaved family without delay and to fundamentally review the SOFA which grants privileged treatment to the U.S. military stationed in Japan.

Past related article:
> US marine arrested for robbery-murder in Okinawa [October 5, 2026]