Japan asks US to enforce discipline after 2nd marine arrest within a month | Gravitas

The heavy US military presence on Okinawa Island has seen pushback from locals, especially over crimes committed by some American troops. Triggering tensions further, another US Marine has been arrested in Okinawa within a month. It is worth noting that around 54,000 US military personnel are stationed across Japan. About 70% of the American military facilities are located in Okinawa.

According to reports, the 21-year-old suspect was deployed at the Marine Corps base of Camp Hansen. He was arrested for drunk driving after a breathalyser test found his blood alcohol level to be more than twice the legal limit. He is also reportedly being investigated over a hit-and-run incident. Additionally, he is believed to have violated a curfew imposed for US Marines. This curfew, imposed last month, requires all troops to be back on base from midnight to 5 am local time.

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In the wake of this, Japan asked the US to take this incident seriously. The country’s defence minister said, and I am quoting him, “We requested that the US side strictly enforce discipline among its personnel and implement effective measures to prevent a recurrence.” He also urged the U.S. military to ensure full compliance with the night-time curfew.

Remember, on October 4, Lance Corporal Devin Ballard was arrested for killing a Japanese woman at a hotel in Naha. A few days ago, he was indicted on charges of robbery and murder. Prosecutors alleged that he strangled the victim with a telephone cord and stole a backpack containing a wallet. This triggered massive outrage across Japan. Protesters even rallied outside the U.S. embassy in Tokyo, holding placards such as “No More Base in Okinawa” and “U.S. Out of Japan.”

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi strongly condemned the killing, calling it an “exceptionally brutal and vicious” crime. Her government also lodged a formal protest with the U.S.