LOCAL residents particularly in the Okinawa prefecture are concerned over reports of U.S. Military personnel accused of committing sexual crimes in Japan.
The protesters gathered in Tokyo after the local media exposed the shocking news.
The total number of sexual violence cases implicating U.S. soldiers in Japan has now risen to five.
The cases – with the earliest dating back to February 2023 – have gone unreported since last year.
Protesters took it to the streets after it was revealed last week that a US Air Force member was indicted in March for allegedly kidnapping and sexually assaulting an underage girl in December.
A U.S. Marine was also indicted in June for allegedly attempting to sexually assault a woman and injuring her.
Shortly after, three more cases came to light, resulting in escalating public anger. The newer cases took place in February and August 2023 and the other in January 2024.
“The Foreign Ministry didn’t inform the governor and government of the Okinawa Prefecture of this incident in Okinawa. If it had done that, the subsequent events might not have happened. The Okinawa prefectural government failed to protest the U.S. military or strengthen local security. Therefore, I believe the Foreign Ministry bears responsibility for the subsequent events and I strongly protest against them.”
“When I was a student, I went to a party held in Okinawa where there were many American soldiers. I was grabbed from behind by a soldier and was asked for my phone number. They were all drunk. I was only about 19 or 20 years old at the time. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t break free or resist.”
“I can never forgive such incidents. I just can’t believe things like this happened. When I first heard the news, I couldn’t believe it, but later I learned that in the past 30 years, nearly 30 cases of sexual violence have occurred, with about half of them going unreported. I realized that it’s not new, and this makes me even more furious. I find this totally unacceptable.”
Amid criticisms that the Pentagon is turning a blind eye, a military spokesman said U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is closely tracking the cases of the erring personnel accused of committing sexual crimes in the Okinawa prefecture where more than 30 U.S. military facilities are based.
Additionally, Defense Department spokesman Pat Ryder said the U.S. expressed regrets over the incidents and that American officials are working closely with local communities over the said cases.
Ryder admitted that the alleged behavior of the American troops in question does not reflect the core values of the U.S. military.
Residents were frustrated and dismayed upon knowing that some cases were not addressed for more than a year and the government failed to notify local officials in Okinawa prefecture.
The incidents revived the long-standing opposition concerning the presence of American troops in.
