Just on the eve of Mr. Obama's visit to Japan, a horrible thing has been found in connection with the US military stationed in Okinawa Prefecture. A 20-year old Japanese girl, working and living in Okinawa with her fiance, has been missing since 28 April. On 19 May the police apprehended a 32-year old American male, who followed her, raped her, stabbed her, seized her by the throat, and finally left her body in the forest. He was an ex-Marine stationed in Okinawa, and was working at a US base as an engineer.
The Coordinator of the four US services in Okinawa, together with the US Consul-General, called on the Deputy Governor of the Prefecture to offer their apologies. Japan's Foreign Minister called the US Ambassador, Madame Kennedy, to his office to protest. Again a word was given for observing stricter discipline in and out of the US Bases. But those words have never been kept. The heinous crimes by the US soldiers or ex-soldiers in Okinawa, such as murder, rape, burglary and arson, have been continuing to occur at the rate of more than a dozen a year.
Why is it so? It is because those Americans are not there to defend Japan, but to be deployed in whatever wars and operations the US may start in wherever part of the world. In other words they are being trained there to kill, not to live and let live, with scarcely any concern with such a thing as the human rights. Therefore as long as they are there the residents are in danger. They are not wanted.
The funeral of the girl was held, and was attended by hundreds of people, among them the Governor of Okinawa, Mr. Onaga. Many of her former high school-mates were seen in tears. Japan's Prime Minister, Mr. Abe is going to accompany Mr. Obama to Hiroshima. This would otherwise have added his prestige. But if he does not put a strong protest now, which he is not very likely to do, his reputation will be greatly damaged.
The Coordinator of the four US services in Okinawa, together with the US Consul-General, called on the Deputy Governor of the Prefecture to offer their apologies. Japan's Foreign Minister called the US Ambassador, Madame Kennedy, to his office to protest. Again a word was given for observing stricter discipline in and out of the US Bases. But those words have never been kept. The heinous crimes by the US soldiers or ex-soldiers in Okinawa, such as murder, rape, burglary and arson, have been continuing to occur at the rate of more than a dozen a year.
Why is it so? It is because those Americans are not there to defend Japan, but to be deployed in whatever wars and operations the US may start in wherever part of the world. In other words they are being trained there to kill, not to live and let live, with scarcely any concern with such a thing as the human rights. Therefore as long as they are there the residents are in danger. They are not wanted.
The funeral of the girl was held, and was attended by hundreds of people, among them the Governor of Okinawa, Mr. Onaga. Many of her former high school-mates were seen in tears. Japan's Prime Minister, Mr. Abe is going to accompany Mr. Obama to Hiroshima. This would otherwise have added his prestige. But if he does not put a strong protest now, which he is not very likely to do, his reputation will be greatly damaged.
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