Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Yoshimasa says the government has conveyed regret to the United States over an alleged sexual assault attempt by a member of the US Marine Corps in Okinawa Prefecture.
Hayashi made the comment when speaking to reporters on Friday.
He said the government took seriously the fact that a sexual crime alleged to have been carried out by a US service member followed a case involving a US Air Force member last December.
Hayashi said that Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Okano Masataka conveyed regret over the matter to US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel, and called for stricter discipline and thorough measures to prevent a recurrence.
Hayashi said he believes the US side is taking the matter extremely seriously.
He also said incidents and accidents involving US military personnel cause great anxiety for local people and should never happen. He said the government will continue to call on the US side to take thorough preventative steps.
Japanese Defense Minister Kihara Minoru said on Friday that the head of the ministry’s Bureau of Local Cooperation conveyed regret to the commander of US forces in Japan and called for stricter discipline and thorough measures to prevent a recurrence.
He said the ministry will take every opportunity to call on the US for thorough preventive measures.
Kihara did not disclose when the ministry’s call to the US side was made, citing relations with the US and investigative agencies.