Japan condemns rape by 2 American soldiers
Source: Agencies |
October 18, 2012, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
JAPAN'S Defense Minister Satoshi Morimoto said yesterday he was deeply concerned by the alleged rape of a woman on the island of Okinawa by two US military servicemen and suggested the US take more measures to assure such crimes do not recur.
"This is a very serious crime," Morimoto told reporters.
He said the case follows another sexual assault in August, and he indicated he was considering discussing the matter with US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta.
Okinawan police arrested the two US sailors on Tuesday. They were identified as Seaman Christopher Browning and Petty Officer 3rd Class Skyler Dozierwalker of the Fort Worth Naval Air Base in Texas. Both are 23.
According to Japanese media reports, they had been drinking before they attacked the woman, in her 20s, who was on her way home before dawn on Tuesday.
The two were in Japanese police custody, said Okinawa Prefectural Police spokesman Takashi Shirado.
The arrests sparked immediate anger on Okinawa, which hosts more than half of the 47,000 US troops in Japan and has recently seen massive protests against plans to deploy the Marine Corps' MV-22 Osprey to a base there because of safety concerns.
Local opposition to the US bases over noise, safety concerns and crime flared into mass protests after the 1995 rape of a schoolgirl by three American servicemen. That outcry eventually led to an agreement to close a major Marine airfield, but that plan has stalled for more than a decade over where a replacement facility should be located.
Concerned that anti-base sentiment on Okinawa could swell, Vice Foreign Minister Shuji Kira lodged a protest with US Ambassador John Roos, who promised full cooperation with the investigation.
"The United States government is extremely concerned by recent allegations of misconduct by two individual US service members," Roos said in a statement. "We are committed to cooperating fully with the Japanese authorities in their investigation. These allegations, given their seriousness, will continue to command my full personal attention."
Okinawa prefectural spokesman Susumu Matayoshi said the suspected rape "shocked all Okinawans and is unforgivable."
"This is a very serious crime," Morimoto told reporters.
He said the case follows another sexual assault in August, and he indicated he was considering discussing the matter with US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta.
Okinawan police arrested the two US sailors on Tuesday. They were identified as Seaman Christopher Browning and Petty Officer 3rd Class Skyler Dozierwalker of the Fort Worth Naval Air Base in Texas. Both are 23.
According to Japanese media reports, they had been drinking before they attacked the woman, in her 20s, who was on her way home before dawn on Tuesday.
The two were in Japanese police custody, said Okinawa Prefectural Police spokesman Takashi Shirado.
The arrests sparked immediate anger on Okinawa, which hosts more than half of the 47,000 US troops in Japan and has recently seen massive protests against plans to deploy the Marine Corps' MV-22 Osprey to a base there because of safety concerns.
Local opposition to the US bases over noise, safety concerns and crime flared into mass protests after the 1995 rape of a schoolgirl by three American servicemen. That outcry eventually led to an agreement to close a major Marine airfield, but that plan has stalled for more than a decade over where a replacement facility should be located.
Concerned that anti-base sentiment on Okinawa could swell, Vice Foreign Minister Shuji Kira lodged a protest with US Ambassador John Roos, who promised full cooperation with the investigation.
"The United States government is extremely concerned by recent allegations of misconduct by two individual US service members," Roos said in a statement. "We are committed to cooperating fully with the Japanese authorities in their investigation. These allegations, given their seriousness, will continue to command my full personal attention."
Okinawa prefectural spokesman Susumu Matayoshi said the suspected rape "shocked all Okinawans and is unforgivable."
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