August 5, 2021

A U.S. civilian employee attached to the U.S. military in Okinawa was arrested in late July on suspicion of attempted rape.

The Japanese Communist Party Okinawa Prefectural Committee and JCP Okinawa Prefectural Assemblymembers on August 4 visited the Foreign Ministry Okinawa Office to wage a protest against the crime. They demanded strict preventive measures such as restricting U.S. military and civilian personnel to base.

According to the police, the U.S. civilian employee attempted to sexually assault a woman on a street in an Okinawa residential area in April and fled the scene as the woman resisted him. The police said that the man admitted to the allegation.

The JCP representatives underscored the need to provide an apology and full compensation to the victim, give support and mental care to the victim, drastically revise the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), abrogate the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, and dismantle U.S. bases in Japan.

Hashimoto Naofumi, the ambassador in charge of Okinawa affairs, said that he "will strongly urge the U.S. military to work to prevent a recurrence and adequately take care of the victim". He, however, did not indicate specific measures that should be taken.

JCP Okinawa Committee Chair Akamine Seiken (Lower House member representing Okinawa) said in response, "Each time a crime occurs, the Japanese government says it will request the U.S. side to prevent a recurrence, but accidents and crimes involving U.S. servicemen and U.S. civilians attached to U.S. military bases are actually out of control. The best way to resolve this issue is the removal of U.S. bases."