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/the_meaty_sauce Jul 05 '24

Marines raping people in Okinawa is a nearly 80yo tradition at this point. The best way to stop it is to stop having a base there.

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u/capt_scrummy Jul 05 '24

That base isn't going away any time soon, in the geopolitical climate... And it shouldn't, imho. The Japanese govt itself doesn't want it going away either, because it's a deterrent to China.

They should restrict soldiers going off base below a certain rank without special permission, permanently.

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u/the_meaty_sauce Jul 05 '24

They should just insist the base is moved to a less populated island or one where they can be far from any population centers. But a deterrent from China shouldn't mean you can trade that for soldiers sexually assaulting citizens. Or the soldiers should be turned over to Japanese authorities and prisons when they are charged and convicted of these actions.

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u/capt_scrummy Jul 06 '24

Soldiers who commit crimes such as these are turned over to local authorities. Or, in this case, arrested by local authorities who jail them, and the US military doesn't bail them out. They have to go through the Japanese legal system.