Finally, the Forum is to be established as a measure to prevent the recurrence of continual sexual assault crimes by US Military related personnel in Okinawa. (30Ap25)

Splendor of Okinawa: Easter Lily, Rycom Mall, 29ap25


As a measure to prevent the recurrence of continuous sexual assault crimes by US Military related personnel, the US Military Japan Headquarters at Yokota Base in Tokyo, on 29 April, reported that it will establish its Forum on 9 May, as a site for the exchange of US Military  and local opinions.

　

According to the announcement, the Prefecture, Prefectural Police, Okinawa Prefectural Branch of the Foreign Affairs Ministry, US Consulate General, Okinawa Defense Bureau, and representatives from the US Military in Okinawa will participate.

　

This month, talks were held on a variety of topics, including the joint US Japan patrol that was actually carried out, with the aim of improving relations with local communities. The establishment of the Forum was announced by the US Military Japan Headquarters as a recurrence prevention measure in response to an incident last July. With a string of such crimes revealed during the nearly a year since that incident, it was considered about time to finally actually set up the Forum.

　

According to the Okinawa Prefectural Police, assault crimes by US troops are continually being exposed. Between last year and now, there have been seven such incidents.


Governor Tamaki has criticized  the time it has taken to set up the Forum, with comments such as, “Our prefecture’s people can only take this as an overly leisurely approach to the problem!”.


US Ambassador to Japan George Glass made such comments as, “We will lend a sincere ear to the important voices of the local societies, which hold our bases in Japan.”  


Original Japanese article: Asahi Shimbun, published Tuesday 29 April 2025 at 19:14. Byline: Satsuki Tanahashi

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/597def77b4557911fca2d34eb728bb231adfea89


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 the 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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