US soldier in Okinawa faces sexual assault charges

A US Army soldier stationed in the southernmost Japanese prefecture of Okinawa has been referred to prosecutors on suspicion of sexually assaulting a woman and inflicting injury, local media reported Saturday.

Police in Okinawa notified the prefectural government on Friday that the soldier, in his 20s, was referred to prosecutors the same day on charges including nonconsensual sexual intercourse resulting in injury, public broadcaster NHK reported.

The man is suspected of sexually assaulting the woman outdoors on the main island of Okinawa and subsequently using violence to inflict injuries requiring several weeks to heal, the report said.

In addition to the alleged assault, the soldier is also suspected of failing to report a traffic accident that resulted in property damage, fleeing the scene by car and driving to his military base following the incident, the report added.

Authorities have not disclosed whether the suspect has admitted to any of the claims.

Okinawa Prefecture hosts around 70% of US military facilities in Japan. For a long time, issues such as illegal and criminal activities, traffic accidents, and noise pollution involving US military personnel have been a major nuisance to residents.

(Cover: A makeshift site to protest against the relocation of a US base to the area is seen in front of a gate of the Camp Schwab in the Henoko neighborhood of Nago, northeast of Okinawa, southern Japan, September 4, 2023. /VCG)