“What’s even more unforgivable is that the Okinawa police didn’t report the cases to the prefectural government. They seem to believe they can act with impunity, a trend of which is becoming more blatant,” she told Xinhua.
Okinawa hosts 70 percent of all U.S. military bases in Japan while accounting for only 0.6 percent of the country’s total land area. Crimes committed by U.S. service members and nonmilitary personnel have been a constant source of grievance for locals.
Tragedies continue to occur decades after massive protests in Japan when in 1995 a 12-year-old girl was raped by three U.S. servicemen. “Okinawans do not know how much similar harm they have to endure for the Japanese government,” a protester lamented.
SANGHA KOMMUNE (SSR) 