Okinawa urges Japanese govt to prevent sexual violence by US forces

TOKYO -- In response to a series of sexual violence cases involving US military personnel stationed in Okinawa, the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly has adopted a formal opinion calling on the Japanese government to take effective measures to prevent such incidents.

Monday's opinion noted that following a December 2023 case in which a US soldier stationed in Okinawa kidnapped and raped a Japanese minor, the governments of Japan and the United States confirmed they would implement measures to prevent similar incidents from recurring.

However, sexual violence by the US military has continued to occur in Okinawa since then, the opinion said, noting that the number of criminal cases involving US military personnel in Okinawa reached a 20-year high in 2025, raising serious concerns about the effectiveness of disciplinary reforms and preventive measures within the US military.

The assembly urged the Japanese government to take concrete and effective actions, including a fundamental revision of the Japan-US Status of Forces Agreement, to prevent the recurrence of such crimes.

Kyodo News reported on Monday that multiple cases of sexual violence involving US military personnel have been reported in Okinawa since June last year, prompting the prefectural assembly to pass several resolutions protesting to the US military.

Public broadcaster NHK previously reported that from January to the end of September this year, a total of 77 criminal cases involving US soldiers, civilian employees, and their family members stationed in Okinawa were recorded, surpassing last year's total of 73 cases and marking the highest figure in two decades. Among these, violent crimes accounted for the largest share, with 16 cases reported.