Japan Press Weekly

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2016 July 6 - 12 [US FORCES]

13 civilians murdered by US servicemen or veterans in Okinawa since 1972

The number of murders of civilians by U.S. military personnel or veterans in Okinawa since the 1972 reversion to Japan comes to 13, of which 12 were committed by marines or former marines.

At an Okinawa Prefectural Assembly session on July 6, Japanese Communist Party assemblyperson Toguchi Osamu revealed that the percentage of these homicides involving U.S. or ex-U.S. marines accounted for 92.3%. He demanded the removal of the U.S. Marine Corps from Okinawa.

Toguchi cited the testimony given by the then U.S. Secretary of Defense Weinberger at a Senate hearing in April 1982 that the Marines in Okinawa are not assigned to defend Japan. The JCP assemblyman asked Okinawa Governor Onaga Takeshi for his views on this.

Governor Onaga answered that many Okinawans also believe that U.S. marines have been involved in a large number of U.S. crimes and accidents in Okinawa

The governor agreed with the need to request the U.S. Marine Corps to leave Okinawa and said, “We should solve the present situation in Okinawa at the earliest possible date.”

Past related articles:
> Neutral Japan without Japan-U.S. Security Treaty will do well [February 19, 2012]
> Over 70% of Okinawans: neither ‘discipline’ nor ‘education’ prevents US crimes [June 4, 2016]
> Serious crimes by US personnel occur more than once a month in Okinawa [May 26, 2016]