A US serviceman stationed in Okinawa has been indicted on charges of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a girl under the age of 16, further inflaming local opposition to the US military presence in Japan.
The Naha District Public Prosecutors Office filed charges against 25-year-old Brennon Washington on March 27. According to reports from Kyodo News, the US Air Force member allegedly lured the girl into his car at a park in Yomitan on December 24, 2023, and drove her to his residence, where he committed indecent acts, including kissing and inappropriate touching.
The incident was reported to the police by someone related to the girl on the same day. After an investigation, the police referred the case to prosecutors on March 11. The first hearing in the case is set for July 12 at the Naha District Court. The prosecutors have not disclosed whether Washington has admitted to the charges.
The case has reignited local opposition to the US military presence in Okinawa, which hosts 70% of all US military bases in Japan while covering only 0.6% of the country’s total land area. Crimes involving US service members have been a longstanding issue, further increasing tensions between the local population and the military. Notable incidents include the 1995 rape of a 12-year-old schoolgirl by three US servicemen, which sparked widespread protests, and the 2016 rape and murder of a 20-year-old woman by a former US base worker, resulting in a life sentence.
On Tuesday, Japanese government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi stated that Washington has been in Japanese custody since his indictment in March and that US officials are fully cooperating with the investigation. “We will continue to request the US side to prevent such incidents at every opportunity,” Hayashi said, noting that Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has complained to the US Ambassador to Japan, Rahm Emanuel.
Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki expressed his outrage, calling the case “not just disturbing… but also a violation of the girl’s dignity” and stating it has “brought a significant level of distrust.” Local media reported that Washington was off duty when he allegedly approached the girl and drove her to his home, where the assault occurred.
The presence of US military bases in Okinawa is of strategic importance to Washington, especially given the proximity to Taiwan and the ability to respond swiftly to potential Chinese threats. However, the concentration of US bases has long been a source of grievance for the local population. Last year, a poll indicated that 70% of Okinawans feel the concentration is “unfair.”
Despite ongoing efforts to relocate the bases to less populated areas, many locals advocate for their complete removal. Experts argue that the military alliance between Japan and the US is too vital for such changes, particularly given regional security challenges from China and North Korea.
