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Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

In 52 years, U.S. forces in Japan caused 200,000 accidents, killing 1,076 Japanese: JCP Akamine

The U.S. forces in Japan have caused 211,000 accidents or incidents in Japan during the last 52 years, killing 1,076 people. The Defense Facilities Administration Agency disclosed this fact at the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee meeting on July 1 in reply to a Japanese Communist Party lawmaker.

Answering JCP Akamine Seiken, the agency also confirmed that the Japanese government has never exercised the right to bring U.S. suspects to justice for accidents or incidents on duty.

According to the agency's report, the number of USFJ-related accidents/incidents between 1952, when the old Japan-U.S. Security Treaty came into effect, and 2004, was 201,481 (excluding the cases in Okinawa before 1972, when its administrative rights were returned to Japan), including 47,218 "on-duty" cases that killed 517 Japanese, and 154,263 "off-duty" cases, killing 559 Japanese.

The Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement stipulates, "The military authorities of the United States shall have the primary right to exercise jurisdiction over members" of the U.S. forces "in relation to offenses arising out of any act or omission done in the performance of official duty." The agreement also allows Japan to request the U.S. side to not exercise the primary right so that the right will be shifted onto the Japanese side.

Asked by Akamine how many times the government requested the U.S. to give up its primary right in relation to offenses by U.S. forces personnel while "on-duty," Justice Ministry Criminal Affairs Bureau director Obayashi Hiroshi answered that there has been none.

Asked how often the U.S.F.J. took these cases to court martial, Obayashi replied that there was one such case during 1985-2004 and that they exercised disciplinary jurisdiction against 318 U.S. personnel.

"It is a great surprise that only one court martial was held in the 20 years for the number of crimes and accidents caused by U.S. military personnel. Did disciplinary jurisdiction help reduce crimes?

The Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement that allows U.S. crimes to run rampant in Japan must be revised," Akamine stressed. - Akahata, July 2, 2005