According to a report by Xinhua News Agency, in response to the successive occurrences of sexual violence cases involving U.S. military personnel in Okinawa, the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly unanimously passed a written opinion addressed to the central Japanese government during its plenary session on Dec. 22, urging the government to take effective measures to prevent such incidents.
The opinion document pointed out that following a case in December 2023, in which a U.S. military soldier stationed in Okinawa was involved in the abduction and rape of a Japanese minor, the Japanese and U.S. governments confirmed that measures would be taken to prevent the recurrence of such incidents. However, since then, Okinawa has continued to witness successive sexual violence cases linked to U.S. military personnel. In 2025, the number of criminal offenses committed by individuals related to the U.S. military in Okinawa reached a 20-year high, raising doubts about the effectiveness of the U.S. military's disciplinary reforms and related measures.
The opinion document calls on the Japanese government to implement effective measures, including a fundamental revision of the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement, to prevent the recurrence of similar cases.
Kyodo News reported on Dec. 22 that since June of last year, Okinawa Prefecture has exposed multiple cases of sexual violence involving U.S. military personnel. The Okinawa Prefectural Assembly has repeatedly passed resolutions to protest the U.S. military presence.
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