U.S. military apologizes over Okinawa sexual assault by serviceman
Col Neil Owens, chief of staff for the 3rd Marine Division, offered the apology, during a visit to the Okinawa prefectural office, a little over a week after Lance Cpl Jamel Clayton was sentenced to seven years in prison in late June.
Clayton, 22, has been accused of injuring a woman in her 20s by choking her while attempting to rape her. He has since appealed the ruling.
Several sexual assault cases involving U.S. military personnel in the southern Japanese prefecture have come to light since June last year.
Owens' apology was the first formal one from U.S. forces to the prefectural government following the incidents, according to local officials.
The U.S. military suggested continuing a joint patrol with Japanese police as a measure to prevent a recurrence of sexual crimes.
"It was a vicious incident that ignores the human rights of women," said Masahito Tamari, director general of the Okinawa governor's office, adding he could not help but question the internal governance of the U.S. forces.
According to the Naha District Court's ruling, Clayton choked the woman from behind in Yomitan in May 2024 and attempted to have sexual intercourse by unbuttoning her pants. She suffered eye injuries that required about two weeks of treatment.
The prefecture hosts the bulk of U.S. military installations in Japan, and anti-base sentiment runs deep due to aircraft noise, pollution and crimes committed by American service members.
© KYODO
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Mainichi
36 minutes ago
- The Mainichi
Japan right-wing leader's remarks on foreigners may be hate speech
FUKUOKA (Kyodo) -- Naoki Hyakuta, leader of the minor right-wing opposition Conservative Party of Japan, made remarks on Saturday that could be construed as hate speech, criticizing foreign workers during a national election campaign. Foreign workers "disrespect Japanese culture, ignore the rules, assault Japanese people, and steal their belongings," Hyakuta, a former novelist, said in a stump speech ahead of the July 20 House of Councillors election. He emphasized his opposition to the burial customs practiced by some foreigners, saying that cremation is the norm in Japan. "If you come to Japan, it's only natural to follow Japanese rules and manners. When in Rome, do as the Romans do," he said. Established in 2023, his party won three seats in last year's House of Representatives election. Led by Hyakuta, a former TV commentator, it advocates stricter immigration and refugee policies to protect the Japanese people. Amid ongoing labor shortages, the number of foreign workers in Japan has steadily grown in recent years, surpassing 2 million in 2024. Some political leaders have responded with inflammatory rhetoric that could fuel xenophobia or discrimination. During the upper house election campaign, another minor opposition group, the Sanseito party, has gained traction among conservatives with nationalist and anti-establishment views under its "Japanese First" banner. The party, launched in 2020, has three seats in the lower house, with its leader, Sohei Kamiya, claiming that globalization is the "reason behind Japan's poverty," as foreign capital is buying up land and company stocks. Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said in a speech on Saturday, "Problems cannot be solved by hatred or slander. We must be considerate of other people's feelings," in reference to foreigners living in Japan.
The Mainichi
2 hours ago
- The Mainichi
Taiwan invited to Nagasaki atomic bomb anniversary event for 1st time
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Nagasaki has accepted a request from Taiwan to attend this year's ceremony marking the 80th anniversary of the U.S. atomic bombing, the southwestern Japanese city said Saturday. If Taiwan attends, it will be the first time its representatives officially take part in the annual event held each August. Following last year's controversy over its decision not to invite Israel amid its war in the Gaza Strip, Nagasaki has decided this year to invite all countries and regions with diplomatic missions in Japan or representative offices at the United Nations. However, as Taiwan does "not fall into either category," the self-ruled island in May expressed disappointment that it would be excluded. In early June, Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki said he is considering how to facilitate Taiwan's desire to attend the Aug. 9 ceremony. It was the first time that Taiwan, which has never been officially invited to the memorial event, has expressed a wish to attend, according to the Japanese city. Taiwan has no official diplomatic ties with Japan. Suzuki said Saturday he has told Taiwan that the "attendance is accepted." He did not disclose when the response was conveyed, nor how Taipei responded. Hiroshima, the Japanese city atomic bombed three days before Nagasaki, has this year switched from sending invitations to notifying all countries and regions that they are welcome to attend the Aug. 6 memorial ceremony. Taiwan was added to the notification list after the island expressed its intention to take part in the Hiroshima ceremony. The U.S. bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are estimated to have killed 214,000 people by the end of the year. They left scores of survivors grappling with long-term physical and mental health challenges. Japan surrendered six days after the Nagasaki bombing, bringing an end to World War II.
4 hours ago
Taiwan Likely to Attend Nagasaki Peace Ceremony
News from Japan Society Jul 5, 2025 18:50 (JST) Nagasaki, July 5 (Jiji Press)--Taiwan is expected to attend the Nagasaki peace memorial ceremony in the southwestern Japan city for the first time on Aug. 9, it was learned Saturday. Nagasaki Mayor Shiro Suzuki said the same day that he has told the Taiwanese side that the city has accepted its request to attend the annual event to remember the victims of the 1945 U.S. atomic bombing of the city. This year, the city changed its policy and sent invitations to countries and regions that have diplomatic relations with Japan or have permanent missions to the United Nations, including Russia and Israel, which were not invited last year. The latest move by Nagasaki came after Taiwan had expressed regret for not being included in the list. The western city of Hiroshima, the other atomic-bombed Japanese city, has already sent a notice of its peace memorial ceremony scheduled on Aug. 6 to Taiwan. [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
