The kidnapping and rape of a teenager by a US soldier has been linked to ldie r Okinawa, the largest American military base in the area, which is located in the Japanese island chain.
The case is likely to fuel the long-standing native opposition to US military appearance because more than half of the 54, 000 Japanese troops are stationed on the islands.
One of the most well-known sexual assault cases occurred in 1995, when a 12-year-old girl was raped by three US support members, stoking months-long rallies.
The most recent incident also involves a slight who is under the age of consent in Japan, who is under 16.
The 25-year-old Air Force man allegedly assaulted her on December 24 and was identified through surveillance video after the female ‘ families reported it, according to local advertising.
When he made the allegations known to the public on Tuesday, state official Yoshimasa Hayashi said that he had been charged in later March and has been in Chinese prison ever since.
” We will proceed to ask the US side to avoid such situations at every opportunity”, Mr Hayashi said, adding that US authorities were cooperating fully with prosecutors.
He added that Rahm Emmanuel, the US embassy to Japan, has received a problem from the country’s ministry of foreign affairs. The initial reading in the case is scheduled for July 12th, he added.
The event is” not only disturbing… but also a violation of the woman’s dignity”, and “brought a considerable amount of distrust”, Okinawa government Denny Tamaki said.
The man reportedly approached the child at a playground and demanded that she enter his car so they could speak, according to local media, who claimed the soldier was off duty. Then he allegedly sexualized her at his apartment where he later drove her there.
One of the largest National defense installations outside of the US is located in Japan.
Around 30 000 British troops have been stationed on Okinawa, where the US has maintained military installations since World War Two when Japan defeated it.
Because of Okinawa’s close proximity to Taiwan, which allows the US to respond rapidly to any Chinese threat, the bases have grown increasingly corporate for Washington.
The extensive National appearance can be seen in the malls, eateries, and eateries across the island chain that serve steak, sandwiches, tacos, and underlying bear floats.
It is not unusual for citizens to wake up to the whirring noise of Osprey motors or to see them flying over public housing in towns like Ginowan, where a significant US center is located called Futenma.
According to an opinion poll conducted last year, seven out of ten Okinawans believe that the focus of US foundations on their territories is unfair.
Despite widespread protests against the foundations, according to the same ballot, young people in Japan are becoming more and more dissatisfied with the US military presence.
However, tensions have long been roiling over the American presence in accidents and crimes involving patients who are Asian.
Two Chinese people were killed in a car accident in 2012 by a US Navy commander while visiting Mount Fuji.
After 1995, the next big protests happened in 2017 when a US army base worker was convicted for the rape and murder of a 20-year-old local woman.
In 2013, two US Navy sailors were jailed for the rape of an Okinawan woman in her 20s. The case led to curfews for US troops all over Japan.
Visitors want the US bases completely removed, despite efforts to relocate them to less crowded areas of Okinawa.
Professionals, but, say Japan’s miliatry alliance with the US is very powerful for that to happen. And in light of the difficulties it faces, they claim Tokyo needs Washington in response to China’s growing says about disputed waters and territories or North Korea’s string of missile testing.