A U.S. Marine has been accused of sexually assaulting a woman while stationed in Okinawa, Japan’s southernmost island, marking the fourth case of its kind within the past year.
The serviceman, who is believed to be in his 30s, is suspected of allegedly raping a woman “older than 20” in an undisclosed building at Camp Foster in Ginowan City on Okinawa Island in November, a police spokesperson told Stars and Stripes.
On Wednesday, Okinawa Prefectural Police referred the case to the Naha Public Prosecutors Office, the spokesperson said. They added that prosecutors are mulling a decision on whether to file charges against the suspect.
The Marine is currently being held in U.S. military custody, the spokesperson said. It is not clear whether the suspect has admitted to the allegation.
The III Marine Expeditionary Force, a task force in Japan, is “aware of allegations of criminal misconduct against an Okinawa-based U.S. service member,” spokeswoman First Lt. Isabel Izquierdo told Stars and Stripes Wednesday. The Marine Corps is cooperating with local authorities, she said.
The victim, who remains anonymous, reported the alleged incident to police immediately, according to the spokesperson.
Authorities forwarded the case to prosecutors after a review of security cameras and questioning the man. The precise location of where the alleged assault took place is not clear.
The Independent has contacted the Okinawa Prefectural Police Headquarters for more information.
The suspect and the victim met for the first time on the day of the alleged incident, sources told the Japan Times.
Izquierdo continued: “The alleged behavior does not reflect the core values of the U.S. Military, nor does it represent the conduct of the overwhelming majority of Okinawa-based service members.”
In a statement to The Times, Okinawa Prefecture Governor Denny Tamaki said: “This is a matter of great concern to the people of Okinawa, and we demand a firm response.”
The allegations follow three sexual assault cases last year that strained the U.S.-Japanese alliance.
Brennan Washington, 25, a Senior Airman stationed at Kadena Air Base, was sentenced to five years in prison last month for kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl in December 2023.
In September, Marine Lance Corporal Michael Hofmaster, 20, was charged with injuring a woman during a sexual assault. She was hospitalized for a week and had wounds on her genitals which took a month to heal, according to the indictment.
Hofmaster, who was detained in a Japanese facility, “denied part of the charges,” claiming that he had consent, sources told The Times.
Another Marine Lance Corporal, 21-year-old Jamel Clayton, was indicted in a separate case of attempted sexual assault resulting in injury in June. It is not clear if Clayton has entered a plea in the case.
While the U.S. relinquished control of the prefecture and Okinawa returned to Japanese ownership in May 1972, the U.S. military presence remained. An estimated 30,000 active-duty troops are currently stationed in Okinawa.
