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Japan urges US to enforce discipline after second Marine arrest

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi announced on Monday that a U.S. Marine was detained on suspicion of drink driving during a mandatory curfew. The breached nighttime restrictions were established after another Marine was indicted for strangling a local Naha woman with a telephone cord in an Okinawa hotel on October 3. Following that earlier incident, military leadership had instituted a 30-day curfew between midnight and 5 a.m. alongside a temporary two-day alcohol ban. Japanese leadership, including Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, previously lodged strong protests with the United States regarding military crimes on the island.

Key points

  • Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi officially requested that the United States ensure full…: Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi officially requested that the United States ensure full compliance with nighttime restrictions.
  • Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi indicated that officials are reviewing the off-base co…: Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi indicated that officials are reviewing the off-base code of conduct for servicemembers.
  • Recurring criminal offenses by personnel among the 54,000 U.S. troops stationed in Japan…: Recurring criminal offenses by personnel among the 54,000 U.S. troops stationed in Japan continue to strain bilateral relations.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

The latest arrest took place on Saturday, according to media reports.

TOKYO: Japan urged the United States to enforce discipline among its troops after a Marine was arrested on suspicion of drink driving during a curfew in the wake of another serviceman's arrest on a murder charge, the defence minister said on Monday (Nov 2).

US forces on the Japanese island of Okinawa were barred from drinking alcohol for two days early last month and faced a 30-day curfew after the murder of a woman allegedly committed by an American Marine.

The case has triggered outrage in Japan and reignited controversy over the heavy US military presence on the southern island.

A second Marine had been arrested over allegations he drove under the influence of alcohol, Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said.

The arrest took place on Saturday, according to media reports.

"We requested that the US side strictly enforce discipline among its personnel, implement effective measures to prevent a recurrence, and ensure full compliance with the nighttime curfew," Koizumi told reporters.

"We want them to take (the incident) seriously," he…

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