Resolution(2012 Sixth Session)

　The Okinawa Prefectural Police have announced that they have arrested two US military servicemembers for the alleged rape and assault of a woman that took place at approximately 3時30分am on October 16, 2012, in central Okinawa Island.

　It has been made public that these two suspects conspired to assault the female victim.

　Since Okinawa’s reversion to Japan, the number of criminal cases committed by the US military and/or other SOFA-related persons have reached 5,747 as of the end of December 2011. Whenever incidents and/or accidents involving US military personnel and/or its components occur, the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly has strongly called on the US Forces and other relevant bodies for the strengthening of discipline and the implementation of preventive measures and education programs, etc.

　However, yet another incident has taken place. In fact, the severity of the incidents is intensifying.

　With overwhelming indignation, we must question the present efforts of the US Forces to prevent such incidents from happening and, furthermore, the effectiveness of the modalities, etc. of the education/awareness programs provided to its service members.

　With the backdrop of the enforced deployment of the MV-22 Osprey to Okinawa in which the voices of our citizens were ignored, the occurrence of another incident such as this has outstretched the patience of the people of Okinawa, and calls for the complete removal of the US military bases on Okinawa have begun to grow among the citizens.

　To that end, we, the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly, from the standpoint of protecting the human rights, lives and properties of the citizens of Okinawa, strongly protest against the recent incident, and at the same time, strongly demand the expeditious realization of the following four items.

1. Full compensation and apologies to be made to the victim and her family.

2. Punish those involved severely.

3. Implement thorough discipline among US servicemenbers and other US Forces’ components, and fundamentally review the methods of human rights education provided for them.

4. Conduct a fundamental review of the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement, and at the same time, promote the consolidation and reduction of base facilities.

　The above is resolved as stated on this 22nd day of October, 2012.

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