My buddy Graham linked me to this little gem. (original)
SAPPORO, Feb. 15 (AP) - (Kyodo)—The Defense Ministry’s Hokkaido bureau is considering assigning officials to accompany U.S. servicemen during off-duty outings when they visit the prefecture for a drill later this month, in light of the recent alleged rape of a local girl by a U.S. Marine in Okinawa Prefecture, a senior bureau official said Friday.
A four-day drill will be held Feb. 25-28 at the Air Self-Defense Force’s Chitose base in the southwestern Hokkaido city of Chitose, according to Tomohiko Futamata, head of the planning department at the Hokkaido Defense Bureau.
“We are considering regular patrols of the area when U.S. soldiers go out and in certain circumstances having bureau employees accompany them,” Futamata told reporters after notifying local municipalities of the drill in a liaison meeting.
“We take seriously the unforgivable incident in Okinawa and will strongly request that U.S. soldiers maintain strict discipline,” Futamata said in the meeting.
Chitose Air Base is one of six ASDF bases to which some U.S. jet fighter exercises have been transferred under a 2006 bilateral agreement on the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan and the only one that has yet to host such a drill.
Around four FA-18 fighters from the U.S. Marine Corps’ Iwakuni Air Station in Yamaguchi Prefecture and more than 10 soldiers will take part in the upcoming drill, the bureau said.
The alleged rape Sunday of a 14-year-old girl by a U.S. Marine has sparked widespread outrage in Japan, especially in Okinawa Prefecture which hosts the majority of U.S. military facilities in Japan.
So there you have it. Just in case there was any doubt of a bias against US service members, this unequivocally proves it. What is this even going to accomplish? When was the last time a bunch of Military dudes went to the Sapporo Snow Festival and committed a bunch of crimes? It’s seriously getting ridiculous.
Comments 3
Here we go again… totally going crazy and getting away from the root cause here. I have to agree with Jim, when was the last time a bunch of Sailors caused havoc at the snow festival? Then again that is the Japanese goverment showing their citizens that they are doing something by having escorts out there, but only in a situation where they know that nothing will happen. God forbid if they had escorts in the Honch and something were to happen. How could they (the Japanese escorts) explain to the citizens that they allowed something to happen? No matter what you do, no matter how many policies you have in place, no matter how much you educate people… you will, without a doubt have people screw up, it is human nature. Every group has some bad apples!
Posted 17 Feb 2008 at 12:07 am ¶In addition to the rape case of 14 year old by 38 year old Marines, I just overseen on the news in the net (in Japanese) that in addition to that, two days later there were one DUI and counterfeit twenty dollar case. As many people may know, majority of the military existence in Okinawa is by Marines, and they, in my point of view and experience of interaction on both training and personal view, are the most disciplined branch in the military. I try not to disillusion myself, but I hope these people who cause these havoc be paying the price for what they have done.
V/R
Posted 18 Feb 2008 at 10:33 pm ¶Ted, well said. Well spoken
Posted 23 Feb 2008 at 6:39 pm ¶Post a Comment
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