Japan to Crack Down on US Crimes
Source: Alalam.ir, 1-3-2008
TOKYO--Japan vowed to crackdown on crimes involving US troops based in the country after a surprise decision by prosecutors not to pursue rape charges against a US Marine, reports said Saturday.
Staff Sergeant Tyrone Luther Hadnott, who had been accused of raping a 14-year-old, was freed from custody late Friday after the girl's family decided not to pursue the case.
The initial case against Hadnott -- who was released 18 days after his arrest on the southern island of Okinawa -- triggered outrage in Japan and reignited controversy surrounding the presence of thousands of US troops.
Hadnott, 38, was immediately taken into custody by the US military, which said it would conduct its own inquiry.
Japanese prosecutors said the girl's family had decided not to pursue the allegations against Hadnott as the girl did not want to be part of a high-profile case.
Yaichiro Yamashiki, chief public prosecutor in Naha, Okinawa's prefectural capital, was quoted by local media as saying the girl had told investigators: "I don't want to be involved in (the case) any more. Please leave me alone."
Japan's Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura confirmed the charges against Hadnott would not be pursued.
"Japan will not exercise jurisdiction" in the case, the Maninichi Shimbun quoted him telling reporters.
Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda told reporters late Friday the two countries should cooperate to prevent similar incidents in future.
Okinawa City Mayor Mitsuko Tomon said: "I would like to continue lodging a strong protest to the country and the military, urging them to ensure such cases never happen again," referring to the US.
Okinawa residents and protesters said they would press ahead with planned rallies in Okinawa, despite the charges against Hadnott having been dropped.
The outrage over the rape allegations led the US military to enforce a sweeping curfew on all troops and their families in Okinawa, base for half of the more than 40,000 US troops stationed in Japan.
US authorities had moved quickly to try to contain damage from the case, with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice offering an apology on behalf of Washington during her trip to Tokyo earlier in the week.
The case was the most high profile of a series of incidents on Okinawa.
Authorities are also investigating separate allegations that a US serviceman raped a Filipina in a hotel on February 18.
TOKYO--Japan vowed to crackdown on crimes involving US troops based in the country after a surprise decision by prosecutors not to pursue rape charges against a US Marine, reports said Saturday.
Staff Sergeant Tyrone Luther Hadnott, who had been accused of raping a 14-year-old, was freed from custody late Friday after the girl's family decided not to pursue the case.
The initial case against Hadnott -- who was released 18 days after his arrest on the southern island of Okinawa -- triggered outrage in Japan and reignited controversy surrounding the presence of thousands of US troops.
Hadnott, 38, was immediately taken into custody by the US military, which said it would conduct its own inquiry.
Japanese prosecutors said the girl's family had decided not to pursue the allegations against Hadnott as the girl did not want to be part of a high-profile case.
Yaichiro Yamashiki, chief public prosecutor in Naha, Okinawa's prefectural capital, was quoted by local media as saying the girl had told investigators: "I don't want to be involved in (the case) any more. Please leave me alone."
Japan's Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura confirmed the charges against Hadnott would not be pursued.
"Japan will not exercise jurisdiction" in the case, the Maninichi Shimbun quoted him telling reporters.
Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda told reporters late Friday the two countries should cooperate to prevent similar incidents in future.
Okinawa City Mayor Mitsuko Tomon said: "I would like to continue lodging a strong protest to the country and the military, urging them to ensure such cases never happen again," referring to the US.
Okinawa residents and protesters said they would press ahead with planned rallies in Okinawa, despite the charges against Hadnott having been dropped.
The outrage over the rape allegations led the US military to enforce a sweeping curfew on all troops and their families in Okinawa, base for half of the more than 40,000 US troops stationed in Japan.
US authorities had moved quickly to try to contain damage from the case, with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice offering an apology on behalf of Washington during her trip to Tokyo earlier in the week.
The case was the most high profile of a series of incidents on Okinawa.
Authorities are also investigating separate allegations that a US serviceman raped a Filipina in a hotel on February 18.
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