US Marine in Japan’s Okinawa arrested after woman injured during attempted rape
- The incident involving Jamel Clayton is likely to further escalate anti-American sentiment in the prefecture
A US Marine in his 20s in Okinawa prefecture was arrested in May on suspicion of injuring a woman while attempting to rape her, investigative sources said on Friday, while local police withheld the information.
The disclosure came days after it was also revealed that a US air force serviceman in Japan’s southernmost island prefecture was indicted in March for allegedly kidnapping and sexually assaulting a girl under the age of 16 in December, further escalating anti-American sentiment in the region.
Critics say Okinawa bears an unreasonable burden in hosting US bases. The prefecture is home to most US military facilities in Japan, almost 80 years after the country’s defeat in World War II. Okinawa was returned to Japan from US control half a century ago.
According to local prosecutors, Jamel Clayton, 21, was indicted on June 17 on charge of trying to sexually assault a woman and injuring her when she resisted in the prefecture on May 26. He fled, but prefectural police, who received a report, arrested him outside the base area the same day, the investigative sources said.
In Tokyo, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi acknowledged on Friday that the man was indicted, but the top government spokesman declined to elaborate on the details, citing an ongoing judicial proceeding.
03:07
‘US bases on Okinawa inevitable’: perceptions shift in Japan on American military presence
Describing the incident as “extremely regrettable,” Hayashi said Japan’s Vice-Foreign Minister Masataka Okano conveyed regret to US ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel regarding the recent spate of sexual crimes believed to be committed by US soldiers.
Okano urged Emanuel to take thorough measures to prevent the recurrence of similar incidents, Hayashi, who also served as the minister in charge of mitigating the burden of US forces in Okinawa, said at a regular press conference.
Crimes committed by US service members and nonmilitary personnel have been a constant source of grievance for locals.
The rape of a 12-year-old Okinawa schoolgirl by three US servicemen in 1995 prompted a wave of public outrage. Other cases include the rape and murder of a 20-year-old woman in 2016 by a former US base worker who was later sentenced to life in prison.
