New Case of Sexual Assault by U.S. Marine in Okinawa

A U.S. Marine stationed in Okinawa has been charged with sexually assaulting a Japanese woman and assaulting another woman who tried to help her, Japanese and U.S. officials said. The alleged incident happened in a restroom on a U.S. base in March and is the third reported case of sexual assault by an American service member in Okinawa since June 2024. The name of the Marine has not been released because of a Road Agreement between Japan and the U.S. According to bilateral agreements, the Marine will remain under American jurisdiction under the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), because he is a member of the U.S. military.

The attack was condemned by Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki as “deplorable” and he called for better protections for residents. US Ambassador George Glass fully recognized the damage to trust with the Japanese and promised to act on their concerns. The incident has clearly ramped up the frustration that has existed about the military presence in the island, where over half of America’s 47,000 active duty personnel in Japan get stationed there.

The turmoil stems from the 1995 rape of a 12-year-old girl by U.S. service members which led to protests across the country. Though a 2012 agreement had military officials constructing a plan to reduce Okinawa’s military footprint with the intent of relocating to Guam, it has not advanced further than that agreement. This week, the Japanese police and U.S. military conducted joint patrols of nightlife districts, the first since 1974, in an effort to reduce crime and assure citizens of their security.