Source: alalam.ir, 22-02-2008
TOKYO-Japan's defense minister warned Friday that further crimes by US troops in the country could shake the two countries' alliance.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura said Tokyo would install security cameras around US bases and take other steps to deter crime.
The warning of fraying ties by Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba came amid a furor over troop-related crimes in Japan.
It came after a US Marine's arrest last week on suspicion of raping a 14-year-old girl on the southern island of Okinawa.
Ishiba said, "I don't think an alliance is possible unless the US shares the view that if incidents like this continue to happen, it could shake the foundation of the Japan-US alliance.''
Addressing a lower house parliamentary meeting, Ishiba urged the US to take concrete prevention measures, and said promises to improve behavior in the future were not enough.
The Marine's arrest and a series of other crimes blamed on US troops have heightened sentiments against the US military presence in Japan, particularly on Okinawa.
More than half the 50,000 US troops in the country are based in Okinawa.
On Friday, Foreign Minister Komura unveiled new security steps to curb crime around bases.
Komura said the two countries agreed to review the criteria and policies for off-the-base residency as part of measures to prevent recurrence of crime.
In addition to surveillance cameras, Komura announced joint Japanese-US patrols of entertainment districts around bases.
He said the US would give Japanese authorities more information about personnel living in off-base housing.
While the patrol applies to only bases in Okinawa, it was not immediately clear which areas the other measures apply to.
The US this week imposed tight new restrictions on troops, their families and civilian expatriates in Okinawa and elsewhere, limiting them to bases, workplaces and off-base housing.
The military held a "day of reflection'' Friday to urge troops not to commit crimes.
The steps were part of a broad US campaign in the past week to soothe feelings as rising anger over the alleged crimes threatened to erupt into widespread protests against the American presence.
The latest furor began last week with the arrest of 38-year-old Staff Sgt. Tyrone Luther Hadnott over the alleged rape of a 14-year-old girl on Okinawa.
The tensions have been compounded in recent days by allegations of other crimes such as drunken driving, trespassing and counterfeiting.
Okinawa saw major protests in 1995 after three US military personnel gang-raped a 12-year-old girl, setting in motion a process to reduce the number of troops on the small island.