Editorial: Why were sex crimes by US servicemen not reported to Okinawa gov’t?

The questions only deepen as to why the U.S. military and Japan’s Foreign Ministry did not follow the rules for sexual assault cases involving U.S. servicemen in Okinawa Prefecture. Who made the decision not to report the incidents to the Defense Ministry and the prefectural government?

Last December, a U.S. airman allegedly sexually assaulted a girl under the age of 16. This came to light only in June this year, six months later, through media reports. Although the Foreign Ministry received information from the investigative authorities and lodged a protest with the U.S. side, it did not communicate this to the Defense Ministry or the prefecture.

And this was not an isolated case. There were another four sexual assault cases involving U.S. servicemen in Okinawa between last year and this year, none of which were reported to the prefecture.

In response to a 1995 incident involving the assault of a young girl, the Japanese and U.S. governments established notification procedures in 1997 for incidents and accidents involving the U.S. military in Japan. These procedures include routes for the U.S. military to notify the Foreign Ministry through the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo and to directly inform the Okinawa Defense Bureau. The Foreign Ministry, upon receiving such notifications, is supposed to inform the Defense Ministry and the prefecture. However, we must say that these steps have become mere paper promises.

This issue was intensely discussed during the off-session deliberations in both chambers of the Diet. Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa explained that the decision by the investigative authorities not to disclose the incidents publicly was based on “protecting the privacy of the victims,” and therefore, the Defense Ministry was not informed. However, the Prime Minister’s Office was notified.

Kamikawa added, “Appropriate communication between Japan and the U.S. ensured a swift response, and there were no issues.” This suggests Kamikawa is not truly aware of the severity of this matter.

A senior National Police Agency official stated, “There was no request to the Foreign Ministry not to follow notification procedures.”

The foreign minister’s explanation that the information was not shared because the incidents were not disclosed publicly is unconvincing. The failure to inform the prefecture and others can rather be seen as disregarding the human rights of the victims.

During the six months until the December assault came to light, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visited the U.S. in April, and there was an Okinawa Prefectural Assembly election in June. There are accusations that the incidents were concealed to avoid affecting the political and diplomatic schedule.

Both the Japanese and U.S. governments have announced their respective countermeasures. However, superficial measures will not resolve the problem. A thorough investigation into the interactions among the parties involved is essential.