Naha District Court in Naha city, Okinawa, Sept. 10, 2025. (Brian McElhiney/Stars and Stripes)
NAHA, Okinawa — A U.S. airman convicted of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl on Okinawa is facing a civil trial after objecting to a court order requiring him to pay the victim about $17,500.
Senior Airman Brennon Washington, formerly of Kadena Air Base, was ordered on Feb. 7, 2025, to compensate the girl by a three-judge panel led by Tetsuro Sato, according to court documents.
Washington’s attorney, Junji Shimizu, filed a written objection five days later, triggering a civil trial that opened Wednesday at Naha District Court.
The airman was sentenced Dec. 13, 2024, to five years in prison with hard labor after the same three-judge panel found him guilty of kidnapping and sexually assaulting the girl on Dec. 24, 2023. Evidence at trial showed Washington picked her up at a Yomitan park and took her to his home.
The girl’s attorney, Erika Ikemi, initially sought about $21,000 in compensation, citing a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder after the assault, according to court records. She reiterated that request during Wednesday’s proceedings.
Ikemi submitted a medical certificate on Sept. 26 stating the girl is receiving treatment for “depression presenting as self-harm, insomnia and loss of appetite,” the documents show.
In a Jan. 26 filing, Shimizu asked the court to dismiss the claim, arguing the girl consented to the encounter and that her testimony lacked credibility.
Under Japan’s restitution order system, crime victims or their families may seek compensation from defendants in criminal cases that result in convictions. The sentencing court reviews the case record and determines an appropriate payment amount. If the defendant refuses to comply, the victim may pursue the matter through civil trial.
Japan’s Supreme Court dismissed Washington’s final appeal on Jan. 30. He filed the appeal on Sept. 10, the same day the Naha branch of the Fukuoka High Court upheld his conviction.
Washington’s case, along with that of Marine Lance Cpl. Jamel Clayton — convicted in June of attempted sexual assault in a separate incident — sparked protests and renewed criticism from Okinawa officials over crimes committed by U.S. service members.
In response, U.S. Forces Japan imposed stricter liberty restrictions, including a ban on drinking at off-base establishments between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.
Clayton has also appealed his conviction and appeared in court Tuesday for his first appellate hearing.
AloJapan.com