December 21, 2024

Japanese Communist Party lawmaker Akamine Seiken on December 19 at a House of Representatives Security Committee meeting demanded that the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) be revised in order to prevent crimes committed by U.S. soldiers in Okinawa.

Akamine noted that the U.S. Forces Japan on October 1 enforced strict discipline which imposes on all U.S. servicemen a ban on off-base drinking between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. following the frequent occurrence of sex crimes committed by U.S. military personnel.

Akamine asked how many incidents involving U.S. military-related persons have occurred since October 1.

A senior official of the National Police Agency, Matsuda Tetsuya, stated that 26 cases, including 11 criminal law offences and two traffic accidents causing injury or death, were reported. Matsuda added that along with the 26 cases, two cases of trespassing under the influence of alcohol and five cases of drunken driving occurred during the hours of the ban.

Akamine claimed that the U.S. military’s anti-crime measures, such as the tightening of discipline, have no effect in preventing incidents and accidents committed by U.S. soldiers, and stressed the need to revise the SOFA.

Akamine pointed out that Prime Minister Ishiba during his Liberal Democratic Party presidential election campaign expressed his intent to work for the SOFA revision. Akamine asked Foreign Minister Iwaya Takeshi if PM Ishiba proposed that the government consider revising the bilateral agreement. Iwaya replied, “No.”

Akamine said that to leave this issue up in the air will constitute an unforgivable betrayal of Okinawans.

Past related article:
> 5 US soldiers in Okinawa arrested for sex crimes in past 17 months [July 2, 2024]