Outrage in Japan sparks rallies against sexual assault by US troops
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A US marine in his 20s is suspected of raping a Japanese woman at an American military base in March and is also suspected of injuring another woman.
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People gather in front of the country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs to protest against the Japanese government for concealing the sexual assault cases involving US military personnel in Japan from the public, in Tokyo, Japan, July 2, 2024 (Xinhua)
Rallies were held in Okinawa, Japan's southernmost prefecture, and Tokyo on Thursday to condemn sexual attacks on girls and women by the US military stationed there.
The demonstrations occurred as two US marines in Okinawa are under investigation for rape accusations, the latest in a series of assaults angering locals on the island, home to most of Japan's 54,000 US troops.
"A US marine in his 20s is suspected of raping a Japanese woman at an American military base in March, and is also suspected of injuring another woman," a local police official told the Agence-France Presse (AFP).
The second marine, who is also in his 20s, is suspected of raping a Japanese woman at a US military base in January, according to an official familiar with the matter. Both cases involving the marines have now been formally referred to prosecutors for further legal action. In response to the investigations, US Ambassador George Glass stated that Washington will "fully" cooperate with Japanese authorities to ensure that justice is served per the law.
"We deeply value the ties of trust and friendship we have built over many decades with our Japanese hosts, and I am committed to doing everything I can to prevent actions that may jeopardise these bonds," he said in a statement.
Locals gathered silently in front of the Okinawa prefectural government, holding flowers and banners that read: "Never tolerate sexual violence" and "We cannot turn a blind eye to this."
Megumi Kamiya, who took part in the march, expressed feeling angry and highlighted the limited effectiveness of the combined patrols by the US military and local police launched in Okinawa last Friday as part of attempts to prevent sexual offenses involving American military personnel.
"The patrol people were walking around chatting and laughing. It seemed like it was just a performance," she continued.
On the same day, others assembled in front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in central Tokyo to support the Okinawan demonstrators. To voice their demands, they held up placards that read: "Stop the U.S. military's crimes" and: "Listen to the Voice of Okinawa," while they screamed slogans.
One of the organizers, Masayuki Oku, rushed to the microphone to vent his outrage, stating, "How can we call this Japan-US security when the number of victims of sexual violence continues to increase?"
The incident
On Friday, US service members, Japanese officials, and Okinawa residents held their first joint nighttime patrol since 1973, following a series of sexual assault cases involving American servicemen, including a 21-year-old marine charged with rape last June and a 25-year-old soldier accused of assaulting a girl under 16.
The alleged rape in March took place in a restroom, where the woman injured was trying to stop the assault on the other woman, Japanese media said, citing police sources.
Okinawa governor Denny Tamaki called the latest cases "deplorable" and said authorities would urge the US military to prevent similar incidents, Japanese media reported.
Japan's top government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi declined to comment on the cases at a regular briefing Thursday, but said crimes by US troops were "unacceptable".
History of tension over US troops in Okinawa
Relations between Okinawans and US bases have a history of tension.
The 1995 gang rape of a 12-year-old girl by three US soldiers in Okinawa sparked widespread outrage and renewed calls to reassess the 1960 pact permitting US troop presence in Japan.
Just last year, as many as 80 US military-linked individuals were charged with crimes in Okinawa, police said.
In July of 2024, US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel expressed regret over two sexual assault cases involving US military personnel in Okinawa, including a US Air Force member charged with assaulting a teenager and a marine accused of attempted rape, according to the Associated Press (AP).
At the time, Emanuel called for better training and transparency, while Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi expressed strong concern about the lack of timely information and Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki condemned the alleged crimes and criticized the delay in publicizing them.
