Tokyo-SANA
Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi called on the United States on Monday to tighten discipline among its troops stationed in Japan, following the arrest of a US Marine for driving under the influence of alcohol. This request came after another US military personnel was detained on murder charges, prompting Japanese authorities to impose a curfew on US forces in Okinawa.
Calls for Strict Discipline
The Japanese news agency Kyodo quoted Koizumi as telling reporters: "We have asked the US side to impose strict discipline on its personnel and implement effective measures to prevent such incidents from recurring, and to ensure full compliance with the night curfew related to ongoing investigations into the murder." The Japanese minister added: "We want them to treat the incident seriously."
Details of the Charges
On October 26, Japanese prosecutors charged a Marine with murder and theft, suspecting him of involvement in the killing of a woman in Okinawa, southern Japan. According to the indictment, the 20-year-old suspect strangled the woman with a telephone cord inside a hotel on the 3rd of last month.
Reactions and Context
The crime sparked widespread public outrage and reignited the debate over the heavy US military presence there, leading authorities to impose a 30-day curfew on US forces on the island, along with a ban on alcohol consumption for two days at the beginning of the month. The United States deploys approximately 54,000 military personnel in Japan, most of whom are stationed in Okinawa.
For his part, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi previously announced that officials are reviewing the code of conduct imposed on US military personnel outside their bases in Japan, following the murder. The current rules, updated in 2024 following a series of sexual assaults committed by US military personnel in Okinawa, prohibit US forces from consuming alcohol in public places outside the bases between 1:00 AM and 5:00 AM, or visiting bars during those hours.
Crimes committed by members of US forces remain a source of tension in relations between the two close security allies.
Source: Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA)
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