But the latest case has placed renewed pressure on the Japanese government to reduce U.S. military presence on the southern island.
Protests over U.S. military presence
The alleged murder has triggered protests in Okinawa, with dozens of people rallying outside the prefectural government building.
“As a woman living in Okinawa, I find myself thinking: It could be me next, or my daughter, my niece, or the young girls I care about,” Anri Tomita, a protester, said at a rally on Sunday night. Former House of Councillors member Keiko Itokazu said, “The reason we insist that U.S. military bases in Okinawa must not be increased—and that no new bases should be built—is precisely because incidents like this happen.”
In Tokyo, around 200 people protested outside the U.S. Embassy on Tuesday, holding signs that read, “Okinawa is not your amusement park” and “U.S. military out.”
“With a far higher proportion of bases in Okinawa than in any other part of Japan, locals are exposed to the highest risk of harm at the hands of U.S. soldiers in the country,” Sakihama reportedly said at the rally. “The thought that we must raise our children in such circumstances feels utterly unjust.”
AloJapan.com