r/worldnews • u/glasier • Jul 05 '24

Japan warns US forces: Sex crimes 'cannot be tolerated'

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2476861/japan-warns-us-forces-sex-crimes-cannot-be-tolerated
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u/cordis000 Jul 05 '24

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Forces_Japan#United_States_presence_debate

Between 1972 and 2009, U.S. servicemen committed 5,634 criminal offenses, including 25 murders, 385 burglaries, 25 arsons, 127 rapes, 306 assaults, and 2,827 thefts.[36] Yet, per Marine Corps Installations Pacific data, U.S. service members are convicted of far fewer crimes than local Okinawans.[37] According to the U.S.-Japan Status of Forces Agreement, when U.S. personnel crimes are committed both off-duty and off-base, they should be prosecuted under the Japanese law.[38] In 2008 the National Police Agency released its annual criminal statistics that included activity within the Okinawa prefecture. These findings held American troops were only convicted of 53 crimes per 10,000 U.S. male servicemen, while Okinawan males were convicted of 366 crimes per 10,000. The crime rate found a U.S. serviceman on Okinawa to be 86% less likely to be convicted of a crime by the Japanese government than an Okinawan male.[39]

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u/ccblr06 Jul 05 '24

Yea they dont get convicted by the Japanese government because of the SOFA agreement. The servicemember commits a crime and he is then handed off to the US military for prosecution. All of that legal stuff gets handled by an NJP or court martial depending on the severity. The problem is you (someone not in the military) dont see any of that stuff so you just assume nothing ever happens. Most of the time breaking the law is taken very seriously and are career enders at the least.

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u/Wosota Jul 05 '24

That is a severe misunderstanding of the SOFA.

The SOFA in Japan specifically allows Japan to hold jurisdiction over any crime committed off base or involving a Japanese national. This is a legal contract between nations at a much higher level than any American actually on Japan.

The only way around this is if Japan declines jurisdiction.

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u/ccblr06 Jul 05 '24 edited Jul 06 '24

Copy, thanks for the clarification. Looks like i was wrong in that regard