US Marine Sentenced for Sexual Assault in Okinawa Court

Tokyo, Jun 25 (AP) - A US Marine has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman on Okinawa, leading to a prison sentence in a case that has stirred anger and heightened safety concerns on the Japanese island, home to a significant American military presence.

The Naha District Court announced that Lance Cpl Jamel Clayton, aged 22 and hailing from Ohio, was sentenced on Tuesday to seven years imprisonment for the crime.

Clayton was convicted of attacking a woman in her 20s in Yomitan village on Okinawa in May 2024. The court said he choked her from behind, sexually assaulted her, and inflicted injuries.

Judge Kazuhiko Obata, in his sentencing remarks, stated that the testimony of the victim, who testified remotely and anonymously, was deemed highly credible. This was despite Clayton's denial of the charges brought by prosecutors seeking a 10-year sentence, as reported by Kyodo News.

The case is part of a series of sexual assault incidents last year, where initial arrests were delayed by local authorities, citing victim privacy concerns, which sparked public outrage and accusations of cover-ups.

Okinawa, the site of one of World War II's most intense battles 80 years ago and under US control until 1972, still hosts the majority of the 50,000 US troops stationed in Japan, according to a bilateral security agreement. Although Okinawa constitutes only 0.6% of Japan's land, it accommodates 70% of US military infrastructure in the country.

There is considerable frustration in Okinawa over the ongoing American military presence, which is blamed for noise, pollution, aircraft mishaps, and crimes associated with US personnel.

Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, who attended Monday's commemoration of the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Okinawa's conclusion, expressed his concerns about recent sexual assault cases involving US military members in a meeting with Lt Gen Roger Turner, commander of the III Marine Expeditionary Force, calling for improved discipline and preventive strategies.

There are mounting calls for an amendment to the Status of Forces Agreement, which currently grants the US the right to investigate most incidents and crimes occurring on Japanese territory.

In a related development, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba's Cabinet disclosed on Tuesday that Japanese prosecutors had dropped criminal charges against over 300 US service members in the past decade, from 2014 to 2024, including a notable sexual assault case in Okinawa in 2020. (AP)

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