Japanese police arrested two U.S. service members early Sunday morning in separate incidents that have sparked renewed scrutiny of American military conduct on the island.
A U.S. Marine Corps corporal from Futenma Air Base was taken into custody around 4 a.m. in the Makishi district of Naha after allegedly assaulting a 41-year-old Japanese man. According to police, the Marine struck the man in the face and bit his left hand, resulting in injuries that remain under medical evaluation. Reports indicate the altercation began during a fight between the Marine and another foreign national, with the Japanese man attempting to intervene. The Marine reportedly declined to submit to a sobriety test at the scene and is said to have admitted to most of the charges during questioning.
Just hours later, at approximately 7:50 a.m., Naha police arrested a 31-year-old U.S. Air Force first sergeant assigned to Kadena Air Base after discovering him asleep inside a nursing home in the city’s Wakasa district, according to the Okinawa Times.
A facility staff member found the airman passed out at a desk in the community exchange room and was unable to wake him, prompting a call to authorities. A breath test later revealed a blood alcohol level roughly five times Japan’s legal driving limit. The airman claimed he had no memory of entering the facility and is currently denying the trespassing charges.
Both incidents occurred on April 13 and are being investigated by Japanese authorities. As of Monday, the two service members remained in custody at Naha Police Station. Their cases have been forwarded to the Naha Public Prosecutors Office for further review. Under Japan’s legal system, formal charges are determined by prosecutors, not police.
The U.S. military acknowledged the incidents, with the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing at Futenma confirming the Marine’s assignment and stating they are cooperating with local authorities. The 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base has yet to issue an official comment.
These arrests come just days before the planned resumption of joint patrols between Okinawan police and U.S. military personnel along Gate 2 Street in Okinawa City — a nightlife hub adjacent to Kadena. These joint patrols, which haven’t been conducted since 1974, are part of a broader effort to rebuild trust with the local community following multiple high-profile cases involving U.S. service members last year, including one conviction and two ongoing sexual assault investigations.
With tensions between the local population and the U.S. military presence on Okinawa historically strained, incidents like these risk further damaging relationships. While the overwhelming majority of American service members conduct themselves honorably, every headline like this sets back progress and hands more ammunition to those calling for a reduced U.S. footprint on the island.
As both cases move forward through Japan’s legal system, U.S. military leadership faces increasing pressure to not only enforce standards of conduct off-base, but to prove that accountability extends beyond the wire.
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