The Foreign Ministry went 3 months without contacting the Prefecture about the indictment of a US soldier for abduction with the indecent intent of non-consensual sex with a young girl. (26jn24)

Splendor of Okinawa: Treasure Flower, roadside Uruma, 4jn24


In December of 2023, a girl under 16, who resides in the prefecture, was taken to a house  by car and subjected to such crimes as indecent action without consent, indecent abduction, and non-consensual sexual intercourse.


It was learned on 25 June, that the Naha District Regional Prosecutor had indicted an American senior airman (male: 25) in the US Air Force. This was confirmed by Regional Prosecution and Prefectural Police records. Although knowing full well about the indictment for about 3 months, the Foreign Ministry failed to inform the Prefecture of it.


On 25 June, Governor Denny Tamaki showed his strong indignation over the occurrence of the incident, noting, “This is a case of trampling on the dignity of a young girl!” He further criticized the Foreign Ministry, quipping, “This is nothing but an invitation for distrust.” The indictment was issued on 27 March.


The Prefectural Police  cooperated with investigative services on the US side, and, on 11 March, they sent documents on the 2 charges of indecent abduction and non-consensual sexual intercourse at the house to the prosecutor  On 27 March, the Regional Prosecutors Office filed both charges for prosecution. The accused US airman was taken into custody. According to several sources, the airman seems to be attached to the US Military Kadena Air Base.


The Prefectural Police and the Regional Prosecutors Office have avoided clarifying the defendant’s admission or denial of charges since the first public hearing will be at the 12 July Naha Regional Court.


On the other hand, according to investigation sources, the accused admitted to the sexual acts under questioning. However, neither the Prefectural Police nor the Regional Prosecutors Office had notified the Prefecture of the case. 


According to the Foreign Ministry, it was fully aware of the case even before the Regional Prosecutor’s indictment. On the day of the indictment, the Ministry had protested to US Ambassador Rahm Emmanuel. However, the Ministry did not share the information with the Prefecture.



The Regional Prosecutor Office confirmed that, on receipt of a request from the press corps, after the Naha Regional Court had decided the first public hearing date, reporters were issued the text of the indictment.


According to the indictment documents, the accused US airman, on 24 December 2023, at a park in central Okinawa, invited the young girl to get into his car, with excuses such as, “It’s cold out here. So, can’t we talk inside my car?”Once in the car, he again used such excuses as, “Wouldn’t you like to take a look at my house?” But he abducted her to his house with indecent intent. Knowing full well that the young girl was under 16, still he used violence and ended up having non-consensual sexual intercourse with her.


According to the Prefectural Police and the Regional Prosecutor Office, on 24 December 2023, having heard the young girl’s story on arriving home, her relatives called 110, the police emergency number.


The young girl had not been acquainted with the man, and was uninjured.


(Trans. note: I find the assertion that a raped young girl was “uninjured” callously gratuitous.)


Original Japanese article: Ryukyu Shimpo, Wednesday 26 June 2024 at 08:18.   https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/60e3a7b4c7a8e113676df12db26704ee0fe3ecae


Denny in the News:

Denny Tamaki is the governor of Okinawa Prefecture in Japan. Although Okinawa is important as an international tourist destination and a key element in strategic US Military Forces, its governor receives very little coverage in the Japanese press and almost none in the English language media. 


This blog hopes to  translate one news article a day on the governor.  It is unsponsored and unauthorized. The translator simply hopes to improve his skills and perhaps give the governor an English speaking audience. 


Any suggestion on improving my translation will be gratefully accepted. However, please leave political comments for another forum.


Where they occur, words and phrases in Ryukyuan (the Okinawan language) are rendered in italics and translated in parentheses. Names  whose readings are uncertain are rendered as Name (=Kanji?) as in Nagayuki (=長行?). Any corrections in such instances would be gratefully appreciated.

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