Two U.S. Marines stationed in Okinawa are under investigation for separate rape allegations, Japanese police confirmed on Thursday, in a development likely to inflame already sensitive relations between the local community and American military forces.
A local police official reported that the first Marine, in his 20s, is suspected of raping a Japanese woman within an American military base in March. He is also under suspicion for injuring a second woman who attempted to intervene during the alleged assault. The second Marine, also in his 20s, is accused of raping a Japanese woman on a U.S. base in January. Both cases have been formally referred to prosecutors.
These allegations mark the latest in a troubling pattern of incidents involving American servicemen in Okinawa. The island, which houses more than half of the approximately 54,000 U.S. military personnel stationed in Japan, has long been a flashpoint for controversy due to the disproportionate presence of foreign troops and associated crimes.
U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass issued a statement pledging full cooperation with the investigations. “We deeply value the ties of trust and friendship we have built over many decades with our Japanese hosts,” he said. “I am committed to doing everything I can to prevent actions that may jeopardize these bonds.”
In an effort to restore public confidence, U.S. military personnel recently joined Japanese officials and local residents in a rare joint nighttime patrol in a popular nightlife district in Okinawa. The operation, the first of its kind since 1973, came in response to previous sexual assault cases involving American troops.
The latest reports follow a series of similar incidents. In June last year, a 21-year-old Marine was charged with rape, while earlier in the year, a 25-year-old U.S. soldier was accused of sexually assaulting a girl under 16.
Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki condemned the new cases as “deplorable” and vowed to press U.S. military authorities for preventive measures, according to Japanese media. At a regular press briefing, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi refrained from discussing the cases in detail but reaffirmed Japan’s position that crimes by U.S. troops are “unacceptable.”
Media reports, citing police sources, revealed that the March assault allegedly took place in a restroom, and that the injured woman had tried to stop the attack.
Tensions surrounding the U.S. military presence in Okinawa date back decades. In 1995, the gang rape of a 12-year-old girl by three American servicemen sparked mass protests and led to calls for revisiting the 1960 U.S.-Japan security pact. Last year alone, 80 people affiliated with the U.S. military were charged with crimes in Okinawa, according to police data.
As investigations proceed, residents and officials alike continue to question the ongoing impact of the American military footprint on the island and its implications for public safety.
