Marine Corps Col. David Banning, center, speaks with U.S. service members during a joint patrol with Japanese authorities on Gate 2 Street in Okinawa city, Okinawa, April 19, 2025. (Keishi Koja/Stars and Stripes)
CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa – The Pentagon’s inspector general will review how the Defense Department is handling violent crimes and sexual assaults committed by U.S. personnel against Japanese civilians.
The evaluation, announced Sept. 2 on the Office of Inspector General’s website, will examine whether U.S. Forces Japan personnel are complying with policies for preventing and addressing violent crimes.
It will also look at the performance, training and criminal history of service members who committed offenses against Japanese citizens, according to a memo outlining the review.
The assessment will take place at several commands, including USFJ, 5th Air Force and Space Force at Yokota Air Base; U.S. Army Japan at Camp Zama; U.S. Naval Forces Japan at Yokosuka Naval Base; and Marine Corps Forces Japan at Camp Courtney, Okinawa. The office said objectives and locations could be revised as the review progresses.
The review was “self-initiated based on our ongoing assessment of DOD programs and operations,” DOD inspector general spokeswoman Mollie Halpern told Stars and Stripes by email Friday. She declined to provide a specific timeline or scope for the evaluation but said the office “plans to visit DOD installations and organizations in Japan.”
The announcement follows several high-profile cases on Okinawa. In December, Senior Airman Brennon Washington was convicted of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a minor. His sentence was upheld Sept. 10 in Fukuoka High Court.
In June, Marine Lance Cpl. Jamel Clayton was convicted of attempted sexual assault stemming from an incident in May 2024. His case is under appeal, and two others remain pending.
USFJ tightened liberty rules in October after a string of sexual assault reports, some of which were not prosecuted by Japanese authorities. The command and local leaders also formed the Okinawa Community Partnership Forum in May and began joint patrols of a nightlife district in Okinawa city.
The House version of the National Defense Authorization Act, passed Wednesday, includes a requirement that the Pentagon study efforts to curb crimes by service members on Okinawa. The Senate version does not include the measure. The two chambers must reconcile the differences.
Japanese Defense Minister Gen Nakatani declined to comment on the U.S. review during a news conference Friday in Tokyo. He said he believes “each party is responding appropriately” to criminal incidents.
“The Ministry of Defense continues to urge the U.S. military in Japan to thoroughly implement discipline and take measures in order to prevent the recurrence of incidents and accidents involving U.S. military personnel,” he said.
AloJapan.com