US Marine in Japan referred to prosecutors over sexual assault

Tokyo, Sep 6 (IANS) A US Marine in Japan's Okinawa was referred to prosecutors on suspicion of sexually assaulting and injuring a woman in June, the third case of its type to surface on the island this year, local media reported.

The latest incident, which occurred in the northern part of the prefecture's main island, was reported to police by a medical institution that the victim in her 20s visited shortly after the alleged assault, Kyodo News, citing investigative sources.

The Marine Corps member in his 20s, who is in US military custody, was questioned voluntarily by local police, who have built the case on his social media posts and security camera footage around the suspected crime scene, Xinhua news agency reported, quoting Kyodo News.

Police said that the two were acquaintances but did not disclose whether the man admitted to the allegations, it added.

The military base affairs division of the Okinawan government expressed regret over the latest case, saying it will urge the US military to take steps to prevent such an event from recurring.

The case follows indictments of two other US service members in the prefecture on separate charges of sexual assault and attempted sexual assault that came to light in June following local media reports, which roiled Okinawa.

A US Air Force serviceman was indicted in March for allegedly kidnapping and sexually assaulting a minor, while a US Marine was arrested in May on suspicion of attempted rape resulting in injury.

However, the police did not disclose these cases at the time, citing the victim's privacy, and the central government did not report them to the prefectural government.

The two cases led to formal complaints from Okinawa to the US Embassy, the US military, and the Japanese government, as well as calls for changes to the status of the forces agreement governing the US military population in Japan.

Okinawa hosts 70 per cent of all US military bases in Japan while accounting for only 0.6 per cent of the country's total land area. Crimes committed by US service members and nonmilitary personnel have been a constant source of grievance for locals.