Tokyo govt not informed of at least 3 US military-related sex crime cases

Tokyo, July 24 (IANS) The local government of Japan's Tokyo metropolitan area was not informed of at least three cases of sexual crime committed by individuals associated with the US military between 2021 and 2023, Japanese daily Mainichi Shimbun reported Wednesday.

The revelation came after the Mainichi Shimbun queried Tokyo's metropolitan police department and government.

The three cases were each exposed in 2021, 2022 and 2023, with one individual in each case accused of sexual intercourse without consent or other charges. The suspects were individuals connected with the US military, which could include service members and civilian employees of US forces and their families, the report said, citing police sources.

Meanwhile, the central government did not inform the Tokyo Metropolitan Government of the three sex crimes between 2021 and 2023, it said, Xinhua news agency reported.

Normally, if the Defence Ministry notifies the metropolitan government of cases where associates of US forces are accused of crimes, the metropolitan government will announce on its website that it has requested the US military and other parties concerned to prevent a recurrence, the report said.

Between 2021 and 2023, the metropolitan government made such announcements on five cases, but they were property damage caused by drunken driving and other incidents, and did not include sex crimes, it added.

In June, it came to light that Okinawa Prefectural Police had not announced the arrests of US military personnel over sexual assault cases that occurred in Okinawa prefecture in December 2023 and May 2024, and that the Japanese government, which was aware of those cases, had not shared the information with the Okinawa Prefectural Government.

In the wake of the revelation of these sex crimes involving US military personnel, the Japanese government earlier this month reviewed information-sharing arrangements with local governments, vowing to notify municipalities any crimes allegedly committed by US military members "without exception."

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