TOKYO (AP) — A Japanese courtroom has discovered a U.S. Marine responsible of sexually assaulting a girl on Okinawa and sentenced him to seven years in jail, in a case that has triggered anger and security issues on Japan’s southern island, which has a heavy American troop presence.
The Naha District Courtroom mentioned Lance Cpl. Jamel Clayton, 22, of Ohio, was sentenced within the case on Tuesday.
Clayton was discovered responsible of attacking the lady in her 20s within the Yomitan village on the primary Okinawa island in Might, 2024, chocking her from behind, sexually assaulting her and inflicting her accidents.
In sentencing, Choose Kazuhiko Obata mentioned the sufferer’s testimony, supplied remotely and anonymously, was extremely credible though the defendant denied his fees introduced by the prosecutors, who demanded 10 years in jail, in keeping with Kyodo Information.
“This habits doesn’t mirror the values of the Marine Corps nor does it exemplify the requirements the overwhelming majority of our Marines uphold every day,” Capt. Kazuma Engelkemier, spokesperson for third Marine Division, mentioned in an announcement confirming Clayton’s conviction emailed on Wednesday.
Engelkemier mentioned the U.S. facet monitored the trial proceedings with out interfering within the Japanese judicial course of. “We cooperated absolutely with the investigation course of,” he mentioned.
The Marine has been in Japanese custody since his indictment that adopted the allegation, he added.
The case was one among a string of sexual assault instances final yr wherein the arrests of the suspects have been initially withheld by native authorities on grounds of defending the victims’ privateness, triggering anger and criticisms of coverups.
Okinawa, the place one of many fiercest battles of World Struggle II was fought 80 years in the past and beneath U.S. occupation till 1972, stays dwelling to the vast majority of about 50,000 U.S. troops stationed in Japan beneath a bilateral safety pact. The island, which accounts for under 0.6% of Japanese land, hosts 70% of U.S. navy amenities.
Frustration runs excessive on Okinawa due to its continued burden with the heavy U.S. presence that features noise, air pollution, plane accidents and crime associated to American troops.
Protection Minister Gen Nakatani, who attended Monday’s eightieth anniversary of the tip of the Battle of Okinawa, raised issues about current sexual assault instances involving U.S. service members when he met with Lt. Gen. Roger Turner, the commander of III Marine Expeditionary Power, requesting self-discipline and preventive measures.
There was rising requires a revision to the Standing of Forces Settlement that provides the USA the best to analyze most accidents and crimes that happen on Japanese soil.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba ‘s Cupboard on Tuesday adopted an announcement exhibiting that the Japanese prosecutors dropped felony instances in opposition to greater than 300 U.S. service members within the final decade between 2014 and 2024, together with a sexual assault case in Okinawa in 2020.
