Okinawa Island has seen a spate of sexual assaults reportedly committed by American military personnel over the past year<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Two US Marines stationed on Japan\u2019s Okinawa Island are under investigation for allegedly raping local civilian women, Kyodo News reported on Thursday. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A Marine, said to be in his 20s, is suspected of raping a Japanese woman in a bathroom at a US military base last month. The suspect is also facing charges for injuring a second woman, a civilian worker at the base, who tried to intervene and help the victim. Another Marine, also in his 20s, is accused of raping a woman at a different base in January, according to the outlet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The reported incidents follow a spate of sexual assaults that have reportedly been committed by American service members on the island over the past year. The southernmost prefecture hosts 70% of all US military facilities in Japan, despite comprising just 1% of the country\u2019s territory. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Okinawa prefectural police referred the case to prosecutors earlier this month, Kyodo said. The Japanese authorities launched an investigation in coordination with the US military and conducted a voluntary interview with the Marines involved. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki, a vocal critic of US military bases in Japan, condemned the alleged rapes as \u201cvery deplorable\u201d and called on American military officials to take measures \u201cthat would be effective to prevent a similar incident.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
US Ambassador to Japan George Glass expressed \u201cdeep\u201d concern over the reports, stating that he was troubled by the allegations. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe 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 jeopardize these bonds,\u201d Kyodo quoted the envoy, who arrived in Japan last week. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The cases mark the latest in a series of violent attacks against women in Okinawa. In December, a Japanese court sentenced Senior Airman Brennon Washington to five years of hard labor after convicting him of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl the previous year. Last June, a Marine lance corporal was indicted for attempted sexual assault, while another lance corporal faced charges in September for injuring a woman during a sexual assault. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Other high-profile cases \u2013 most notably the 1995 abduction and rape of a 12-year-old girl by three American servicemen \u2013 have fueled strong anti-base sentiment in Okinawa. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The US and Japanese governments reportedly maintain, however, that the presence of American troops in Okinawa serves as a deterrent in light of concerns over China\u2019s military activities in the South and East China Seas, as well as North Korea\u2019s ongoing nuclear and ballistic missile programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n