Arya News - Asked by Koja for fundamental measures to prevent such incidents, Takaichi said, “Japan and the United States will discuss how to implement effective measures,” during their talks at the Prime Minister’s Office.
TOKYO – Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told Okinawa Gov. Genta Koja on Wednesday that Japan and the United States will discuss measures to prevent the recurrence of incidents like the recent one in which a U.S. service member was arrested on suspicion of robbing and killing a woman at a hotel in Naha.
Asked by Koja for fundamental measures to prevent such incidents, Takaichi said, “Japan and the United States will discuss how to implement effective measures,” during their talks at the Prime Minister’s Office.
On Sunday, a lance corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps stationed at the Marine Corps’ Futenma Air Station in Ginowan in the prefecture was arrested on suspicion of having committed the crime.
This was Takaichi’s first meeting with Koja since the incident, and the first since he took office. With a view to building cooperation with Koja, the first conservative Okinawa governor to be elected in 12 years, the central government is expected to focus for the time being on measures to mitigate the fallout from the incident.
Speaking about serious crimes allegedly involving U.S. service members that have occurred in the prefecture, Koja said they are despicable and absolutely unforgivable, adding that discipline and human rights education are not working within U.S. Forces Japan. “I strongly demand that measures be taken to prevent a recurrence,” he said.
Koja also handed over a written request to Takaichi that includes a call to review the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement.
Takaichi reiterated her condemnation of the incident, saying: “I feel strong anger [over the latest incident]. We will ensure a thorough response.”
The U.S. military in the prefecture announced interim measures late on Tuesday. According to the measures, all U.S. military personnel on the prefecture were to observe a 48-hour operating pause from noon on Wednesday to noon on Friday and be prohibited from leaving their bases and consuming alcohol during the period. They will also be required to be on their bases from midnight to 5 a.m. during a 30-day period, beginning Friday.
On Wednesday, Takaichi said these measures were “the result of our strong demand for an appropriate response.”
“I give some recognition to the fact that both Japan and the United States are taking this issue seriously,” Koja said after the meeting. He said that Takaichi did not make a specific reference to the revision of the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement. Koja emphasized that he will “closely monitor” the government’s future response.
The central government is believed to intend to respond to the request of the prefecture as fully as possible. During the meeting, Koja called for the early convening of the Okinawa Policy Council, in which the central and prefectural governments discuss various topics, such as promotion measures for the prefecture and reducing the burden of the U.S. military bases there. Takaichi said that she will “respond to the matter appropriately.”
If the council — which has not met since 2013 — is resumed, it will serve as a symbol of improved relations between the central and prefectural governments, which have been at odds over the planned relocation of Futenma Air Station. While assessing the impact of the latest incident, the central government will consider the timing of the resumption.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara was also present at the meeting. Prior to the meeting, Koja held separate talks with Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi.