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US sailor arrested in Okinawa on suspicion of rape | US sailor arrested in Okinawa on suspicion of rape |
(6 months later) | |
Japan has issued a strong protest to the US after the arrest of an American serviceman on suspicion of raping a woman in Okinawa, in a case that could fuel anger towards the US military presence on the island. | Japan has issued a strong protest to the US after the arrest of an American serviceman on suspicion of raping a woman in Okinawa, in a case that could fuel anger towards the US military presence on the island. |
Okinawa, located 1,000m south of Tokyo, is already at the centre of a bitter political battle over the relocation of a US marine corps airbase, 20 years after Tokyo and Washington agreed to the move. | Okinawa, located 1,000m south of Tokyo, is already at the centre of a bitter political battle over the relocation of a US marine corps airbase, 20 years after Tokyo and Washington agreed to the move. |
Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, Yoshihide Suga, said the government had lodged a protest with the US embassy in Tokyo and US military officials in Japan. | Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, Yoshihide Suga, said the government had lodged a protest with the US embassy in Tokyo and US military officials in Japan. |
Suga told reporters that the alleged crime was “extremely regrettable”, adding that the government had demanded that the US improve discipline among servicemen. | Suga told reporters that the alleged crime was “extremely regrettable”, adding that the government had demanded that the US improve discipline among servicemen. |
There was no immediate comment from US military officials in Japan. | There was no immediate comment from US military officials in Japan. |
Okinawa’s anti-base governor, Takeshi Onaga, said the case was “intolerable”. | Okinawa’s anti-base governor, Takeshi Onaga, said the case was “intolerable”. |
Police arrested Justin Castellanos, a 24-year-old sailor, on Sunday for allegedly raping a Japanese tourist in a hotel room in the Okinawan capital Naha. | Police arrested Justin Castellanos, a 24-year-old sailor, on Sunday for allegedly raping a Japanese tourist in a hotel room in the Okinawan capital Naha. |
Castellanos has denied raping the woman in his room after finding her asleep in a hotel corridor in the early hours of Sunday, local media reported. The alleged victim, a woman in her 40s, was visiting the island from another part of Japan. | Castellanos has denied raping the woman in his room after finding her asleep in a hotel corridor in the early hours of Sunday, local media reported. The alleged victim, a woman in her 40s, was visiting the island from another part of Japan. |
Crimes committed by US personnel have fuelled public resentment towards the US military presence on the islands, which hosts more than half the 47,000 US troops in Japan and three-quarters of its bases. | Crimes committed by US personnel have fuelled public resentment towards the US military presence on the islands, which hosts more than half the 47,000 US troops in Japan and three-quarters of its bases. |
The 1995 abduction and rape of a 12-year-old girl by three US servicemen sparked huge demonstrations and prompted Tokyo and Washington to agree, a year later, to reduce the US military footprint in Okinawa. | The 1995 abduction and rape of a 12-year-old girl by three US servicemen sparked huge demonstrations and prompted Tokyo and Washington to agree, a year later, to reduce the US military footprint in Okinawa. |
In 2008, the then US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, apologised during a visit to Tokyo for a spate of crimes involving American troops, amid warnings that failure to improve discipline risked damaging relations between Washington and its closest ally in the region. | In 2008, the then US secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, apologised during a visit to Tokyo for a spate of crimes involving American troops, amid warnings that failure to improve discipline risked damaging relations between Washington and its closest ally in the region. |
The relocation plan calls for the closure of Futenma – a sprawling US marine base located in the middle of a city – and for a replacement to be built near Nago, a town in the island’s more remote northern reaches. | The relocation plan calls for the closure of Futenma – a sprawling US marine base located in the middle of a city – and for a replacement to be built near Nago, a town in the island’s more remote northern reaches. |
The deal would also see about 8,000 US troops and their families moved to the US Pacific territory of Guam and other locations, including Hawaii and Australia. | The deal would also see about 8,000 US troops and their families moved to the US Pacific territory of Guam and other locations, including Hawaii and Australia. |
Onaga and many Okinawa residents say the new base at Camp Schwab would endanger public safety and destroy the area’s delicate ecosystem. | Onaga and many Okinawa residents say the new base at Camp Schwab would endanger public safety and destroy the area’s delicate ecosystem. |
The Futenma agreement includes the construction of an offshore runway at Camp Schwab, where Castellanos is based. | The Futenma agreement includes the construction of an offshore runway at Camp Schwab, where Castellanos is based. |
Onaga, who was elected in December 2014 vowing to stop the Futenma move, recently agreed to resume talks with Tokyo, bringing a temporary halt to legal attempts to block construction of the new base. | Onaga, who was elected in December 2014 vowing to stop the Futenma move, recently agreed to resume talks with Tokyo, bringing a temporary halt to legal attempts to block construction of the new base. |
Tokyo and Washington insist that the current plan is the only solution to the deadlock over Futenma. | Tokyo and Washington insist that the current plan is the only solution to the deadlock over Futenma. |
US defence officials say the new base, which is expected to cost at least $8.6bn (£6bn), is an essential part of the White House’s strategic “pivot” towards the Asia-Pacific, amid rising concern over Chinese naval activity in the region and North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes. | US defence officials say the new base, which is expected to cost at least $8.6bn (£6bn), is an essential part of the White House’s strategic “pivot” towards the Asia-Pacific, amid rising concern over Chinese naval activity in the region and North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes. |
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