The person who wrote this article
Masahiro Chinen
The number of criminal law violations committed by U.S. military personnel, civilian personnel, and their families in the prefecture reached 63 from January to the end of October this year, the highest number since 2011. In response to a series of revelations related to the U.S. military, on the 17th, the head of the prefecture’s governor’s office, Masahito Tame, met with Army Colonel Jin Park, head of the Okinawa office of the U.S. military in Japan, to ensure thorough training for personnel and to clean up discipline. I asked.
According to the prefecture, Director Park emphasized that “all military commanders are also concerned,” including Lt. Gen. James Biermann, the top U.S. military in Okinawa. At the regular joint meeting of the four US military forces in Okinawa held on the 15th, most of the 90 minutes of the meeting were devoted to discussing this issue and explaining the US military’s stance on countermeasures.
In addition to raising awareness through TV and radio commercials within the military, he also expressed his intention to analyze where and at what times crimes occur and utilize this information in countermeasures.
Mr. Tame also made a verbal request to the Okinawa Defense Bureau, expressing his strong concerns, saying, “It is no exaggeration to say that the U.S. side lacks a sense of tension and a lack of awareness of legal compliance.”
Concerned that more incidents may occur due to people traveling and drinking more during the year-end and New Year holidays, they called on the U.S. military to approach them.
The Defense Bureau stated that it was regrettable that the number of raids has increased, and that the Bureau is calling on the U.S. military to improve discipline and thoroughly train its personnel.
(Yasunao Chinen)
