Japanese court convicts US Marine in sexual assault, sentencing him to 7 years

A Japanese tribunal has recovered a U.S. Marine blameworthy of sexually assaulting a pistillate connected Okinawa, sentencing him to situation terms, successful a lawsuit that has triggered choler and information concerns connected Japan’s confederate land with a dense American unit presence

TOKYO -- A Japanese tribunal said Wednesday it has recovered a U.S. Marine blameworthy of sexually assaulting a pistillate connected Okinawa, sentencing him to situation terms, successful a lawsuit that has triggered choler and information concerns connected Japan's confederate island, which has a dense American unit presence.

The Naha District Court said Lance Cpl. Jamel Clayton, 22, of Ohio, was sentenced Tuesday to 7 years successful situation successful the case.

Clayton was recovered blameworthy of attacking the pistillate successful her 20s successful the Yomitan colony connected the main Okinawa land successful May, 2024, chocking her from behind, sexually assaulting her and causing her injuries.

In sentencing, Judge Kazuhiko Obata said the victim’s testimony, provided remotely and anonymously, was highly credible adjacent though the suspect denied his charges brought by the prosecutors, who demanded 10 years successful prison, according to Kyodo News.

It was 1 of a drawstring of intersexual battle cases past twelvemonth successful which the arrests of the suspects were initially withheld by section authorities connected grounds of protecting the victims' privacy, triggering choler and criticisms of coverups.

Okinawa, wherever 1 of the fiercest battles of World War II was fought 80 years agone and nether U.S. concern until 1972, remains location to the bulk of astir 50,000 U.S. troops stationed successful Japan nether a bilateral information pact. The island, which accounts for lone 0.6% of Japanese land, hosts 70% of U.S. subject facilities.

Frustration runs precocious connected Okinawa due to the fact that of its continued load with the dense U.S. beingness that includes noise, pollution, craft accidents and transgression related to American troops.

Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, who attended Monday's 80th day of the extremity of the Battle of Okinawa, raised concerns astir caller intersexual battle cases involving U.S. work members erstwhile helium met with Lt. Gen. Roger Turner, the commandant of III Marine Expeditionary Force, requesting subject and preventive measures.

There has been increasing calls for a revision to the Status of Forces Agreement that gives the United States the close to analyse astir accidents and crimes that hap connected Japanese soil.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba 's Cabinet connected Tuesday adopted a connection showing that the Japanese prosecutors dropped transgression cases against much than 300 U.S. work members successful the past decennary betwixt 2014 and 2024, including a intersexual battle lawsuit successful Okinawa successful 2020.

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