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

U.S. Kitty Hawk sailor kills Japanese woman in Yokosuka

A sailor from the U.S. aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk has admitted killing a 56-year-old Japanese woman in Yokosuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, early on the morning of January 3. As of January 5, the suspect was reportedly in the custody of the U.S. Navy Yokosuka Base (*).

The victim, Sato Yoshie, on her way to work, was found bleeding from her head. She was seriously beaten and died of loss of blood and her internal injuries, according to the police. No money was left in her purse, so the police suspect that the sailor committed robbery.

The Kanagawa prefectural police plan to seek an arrest warrant for the serviceman on suspicion of killing Sato and ask the U.S. forces via the Foreign Ministry to hand over the suspect for investigation before his indictment.

In Kanagawa, there has been no murder by U.S. forces personnel at least during the past 20 years. In 1995, the U.S. government agreed with Japan that the United States will give "sympathetic consideration" to the handover of suspects of serious crimes such as murder and rape. If the U.S. accepts the Japanese claim, the suspect will be the fifth such in Japan and the first in Kanagawa to be turned over before indictment to the Japanese police.

The commander of the U.S. Navy in Japan on January 5 issued a comment stating that the Navy will cooperate with the investigation into the killing of the Japanese woman, but withheld the suspect's name, age, and rank, and even declined to respond to media inquiries.

Late last year, another Kitty Hawk sailor committed a hit-and-run crime, injuring elementary school boys in Hachioji, Tokyo.

JCP protests

On the same day, representatives of the Japanese Communist Party Kanagawa Prefectural Committee, the JCP Kanagawa Prefectural Assembly members group, and the JCP Yokosuka City Assembly members group jointly visited the U.S. Navy Yokosuka Base to protest against the murder. They demanded that the commander of the U.S. Navy in Japan and the Kitty Hawk's captain immediately hand over the suspect to the Japanese authorities.

An on-duty U.S. officer met the JCP representatives but made no comment. This angered the protesters. They visited the site where Sato was killed and offered prayers for the victim.

On January 6, JCP lawmakers Koike Akira (Upper House) and Kasai Akira (Lower House) demanded that the Foreign Ministry take urgent measures to get the suspect handed over to Japanese authorities and that the Japan-U.S. SOFA be revised.

Kanagawa Prefecture Governor Matsuzawa Shigefumi and Yokosuka City Mayor Kabatani Ryoichi on the same day each issued a comment, expressing deep regret.

The commander and others from the U.S. base on January 6 visited the offices of Yokosuka City and Kanagawa Prefecture to express their apologies and released the suspect's sex, age, and rank.

While expressing his regret over the incident, Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro on January 5 told reporters that he doesn't think it necessary to amend the Status of U.S. Forces in Japan Agreement (SOFA) just because of the case.

The Japan Peace Committee, the All Japan Teachers and Staff Union (ZENKYO), and other organizations published statements in protest against the killing.

(*) The suspect, William O. Reese, 21, was handed over to Japanese police on January 7 after being held at the U.S. Naval base in Yokosuka on suspicion of killing a Japanese woman.
- Akahata, January 6, 2005