Okinawa protests to US military over sexual abuse case

Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, June 27 (Jiji Press) – The Okinawa Prefectural government on Thursday filed a protest with a senior U.S. Air Force officer over the alleged sexual abuse of a girl by an American airman in the southern Japan prefecture.

At the prefectural government office, Takekuni Ikeda, Okinawa’s vice governor, said Brig. Gen. Nicholas Evans, commander of the U.S. 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base in the prefecture, that the incident was serious and malicious because it trampled on the victim’s human rights and that it could not be forgiven.

Evans expressed concern and regret over the incident and indicated that the US side would cooperate with the investigation and trial. But he didn’t apologize.

Ikeda stated that he could not help but say that education and management at American bases in the prefecture were inadequate. He also criticized the American side for not providing sufficient information in the case.

The deputy governor demanded quick and effective steps to prevent a similar incident, an apology to the victim and quick compensation for him.

(Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.)