Overview

• Okinawa police have formally referred two US marines, both in their 20s, to prosecutors for alleged rapes in January and March 2025.
• One marine is accused of raping a woman in January, while the other allegedly raped a woman in March and injured another who tried to intervene.
• US Ambassador George Glass pledged full cooperation with Japanese authorities, emphasizing the importance of maintaining trust between the two nations.
• Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki called the incidents 'deplorable' and vowed to push for stronger preventive measures from the US military.
• The cases follow a pattern of crimes involving US military personnel in Okinawa, where tensions over the heavy US military presence have persisted for decades.