Japan demands US military reform on Okinawa after 4th sexual assault involving a Marine within a year. Alarming 60% of assault cases are US soldiers

[ReasonableMatic]

A U.S. Marine has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman while stationed in Okinawa, Japan’s southernmost island, marking the fourth case of its kind within the past year.

The serviceman, who is believed to be in his 30s, is suspected of allegedly raping a woman “older than 20” in an undisclosed building at Camp Foster in Ginowan City on Okinawa Island in November, a police spokesperson told Stars and Stripes.

On Wednesday, Okinawa Prefectural Police referred the case to the Naha Public Prosecutors Office, the spokesperson said. They added that prosecutors are mulling a decision on whether to file charges against the suspect.

The Marine is currently being held in U.S. military custody, the spokesperson said. It is not clear whether the suspect has admitted to the allegation.

The III Marine Expeditionary Force, a task force in Japan, is “aware of allegations of criminal misconduct against an Okinawa-based U.S. service member,” spokeswoman First Lt. Isabel Izquierdo told Stars and Stripes Wednesday. The Marine Corps is cooperating with local authorities, she said.

The victim, who remains anonymous, reported the alleged incident to police immediately, according to the spokesperson.

Authorities forwarded the case to prosecutors after a review of security cameras and questioning the man. The precise location of where the alleged assault took place is not clear.

The Independent has contacted the Okinawa Prefectural Police Headquarters for more information.

The suspect and the victim met for the first time on the day of the alleged incident, sources told the Japan Times.

Izquierdo continued: “The alleged behavior does not reflect the core values of the U.S. Military, nor does it represent the conduct of the overwhelming majority of Okinawa-based service members.”

In a statement to The Times, Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki said: “This is a matter of great concern to the people of Okinawa, and we demand a firm response.”

The allegations follow three sexual assault cases last year that strained the U.S.-Japanese alliance.

Brennan Washington, 25, a Senior Airman stationed at Kadena Air Base, was sentenced to five years in prison last month for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl in December 2023.

In September, Marine Lance Corporal Michael Hofmaster, 20, was charged with injuring a woman during a sexual assault. She was hospitalized for a week and had wounds on her genitals which took a month to heal, according to the indictment.

Hofmaster, who was detained in a Japanese facility, “denied part of the charges,” claiming that he had consent, sources told The Times.

Another Marine Lance Corporal, 21-year-old Jamel Clayton, was indicted in a separate case of attempted sexual assault resulting in injury in June. It is not clear if Clayton has entered a plea in the case.

While the U.S. relinquished control of the prefecture and Okinawa returned to Japanese ownership in May 1972, the U.S. military presence remained. An estimated 30,000 active-duty troops are currently stationed in Okinawa.

Another U.S. serviceman accused of sexual assault in Japan

It marks the fourth sexual assault case against U.S. military personnel stationed in Okinawa within the past year

www.independent.co.uk

 

[Neuromancer]

I got a homie who was in the Air Force stationed there. Dude was chilling in a club and some Yak dude started pressing dudes in uniform cause two white boys was harassing girls in the club. My homie is black and he had to let them know he ain't had nothing to do with them.

 

[jay83]

Damn shame .

 

[Luke Cage]

Should line them up and have them all shot. They clearly have no intention of doing anything to stop the rapes
soldiers won't even take suggestions without cosigning more rape

 

[jdubnyce]

This is very sad and those found guilty should pay for their crimes
Rapists deserve castration and torture

2nd point
Why is there a breh front and center in that pic? Is he one of the accused? Most likely he isn't
Media ain't slick

 

[Sterling Archer]

One flaw of the military that i always felt could lead to issues like this, is that sexual needs are in fact normal biological needs. Like anything else,
You wouldn't try to force your soldiers to go without food, you wouldn't try to force them to go without sleep.
But you try to force them to go without sex? They aren't nuns, they are young men.
Problem is we would never accept having a squad of sex workers servicing a military outpost.

What?

 

[Sauce and Footwork]

Was stationed there. We was on lock down for a navy sailor raping some child and a marine assaulting and raping somebody too.

 

[Sauce and Footwork]

One flaw of the military that i always felt could lead to issues like this, is that sexual needs are in fact normal biological needs. Like anything else,
You wouldn't try to force your soldiers to go without food, you wouldn't try to force them to go without sleep.
But you try to force them to go without sex? They aren't nuns, they are young men.
Problem is we would never accept having a squad of sex workers servicing a military outpost.

As a marine… what the fukk are you talking about men should be allowed to rape? And especially little girls? There are plenty of women in Japan to have consensual sex with.

 

[Luke Cage]

What?

I was clear in what i said.
Forcing abstention when on duty is likely contributing to more sex crimes than usual. how many of these soldiers rape people when they are back home? That disparity alone should be enough evidence for a reasonable person to consider. There is a reason people are scared of being raped in prison.

 

[Luke Cage]

As a marine… what the fukk are you talking about men should be allowed to rape?

What?
How would you draw this conclusion from what i said?
My point is they are contributing to this rape culture, and could take actions to reduce them. Not that they should be allowed to rape kids wtf?
The study literally says that 60% of the assault cases are by soldiers. Clearly the military needs to accept its role in all this. And no letting them rape kids is not the answer. You are the only person in this thread to suggest that it is.

 

[OneManGang]

What?
How would you draw this conclusion from what i said?
My point is they are contributing to this rape culture, and could take actions to reduce them. Not that they should be allowed to rape kids wtf?
The study literally says that 60% of the assault cases are by soldiers. Clearly the military needs to accept its role in all this. And no letting them rape kids is not the answer. You are the only person in this thread to suggest that it is.

These nikkas can’t read breh. I understood what you was saying

But there’s many opportunities present especially in Japan to get p*ssy for soldiers. Don’t know why they raping bytches

 

[Sauce and Footwork]

What?
How would you draw this conclusion from what i said?
My point is they are contributing to this rape culture, and could take actions to reduce them. Not that they should be allowed to rape kids wtf?

It’s a dumb comment because nobody is preaching being not having sex in the military. Were you in the military??? I was . They only tell people to please be safe out there and don’t commit infidelity. That’s it. Okinawa isn’t even a war zone. We are allowed to go out into town whenever we want, except when this happens in which we go on lockdown , which is the right thing to do. It’s women all around except for when you get actually deployed to Iraq/ Afghanistan . It’s literally a bullshyt statement to say the military contributes to rape culture by discouraging sex. If anything the military did , when it was not teaching about sexual harassment and not properly disciplining members when they commit sexual assault

 

[Luke Cage]

It’s a dumb comment

Nothing i said was dumber than your suggestion about letting kids be raped. Stfu and don't quote me anymore. Can't even take anything else you say seriously at this point

 

[Sauce and Footwork]

I was clear in what i said.
Forcing abstention when on duty is likely contributing to more sex crimes than usual. how many of these soldiers rape people when they are back home? That disparity alone should be enough evidence for a reasonable person to consider. There is a reason people are scared of being raped in prison.

Literally not true. They don’t promote fraternization, but nobody gives 2 fukks about who people are fukking. They are talking about soldiers having sex with subordinates. Something preached in every workplace. “Managers, don’t fukk your employees basically”. That’s not telling people don’t have sex crazy

 

[Luke Cage]

These nikkas can’t read breh. I understood what you was saying

But there’s many opportunities present especially in Japan to get p*ssy for soldiers. Don’t know why they raping bytches

Still the fact that its mostly soldiers doing this, means that something can be done about it, because they have control over the soldiers.
And they might need to do more than just present them with opportunities to meet women. Maybe give them course on how to talk to women on top of that.