Japan Press Weekly

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2010 March 31 - April 6 [US FORCES]

U.S. soldiers commit 19 felonies annually

This was found in a report of criminal offences committed by U.S. servicemen in Japan between 1973 and 2009. The National Police Agency submitted this report in reply to an inquiry from Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Representatives Akamine Seiken.

The report showed that the number of felony criminal cases, including murders and robberies, was 713, accounting for about 10 percent of the total number of crimes.

Between 2005 and 2008, murders were committed every year. In 2008, eight rape cases were reported.

The Defense Ministry also submitted to Akamine a survey which gives the number of Japanese people killed by the U.S. military in crimes and accidents. According to the survey, up until 2008 after the Japan-U.S. military treaty came into effect in1952, the number of crimes and accidents committed by U.S. military was 3,630 and the average of 19 Japanese died from these crimes and accidents annually.

Of those 3,630 cases, 77% were committed by off-duty U.S. personnel. Basically, the cases were settled out of court between the victims and the U.S. military authorities. So, in many cases, victims had to give up their attempts to obtain justice or accept compensation even it fell far short of their demands.
- Akahata, April 3, 2010