US Marine Receives Seven-Year Sentence for Sexual Assault in Okinawa

Lance Cpl. Jamel Clayton was convicted of a vicious assault that rekindles long-standing tensions surrounding US military personnel in Okinawa, where recent incidents have intensified calls for the reevaluation of US bases.

A Japanese court has sentenced Lance Cpl. Jamel Clayton, a 22-year-old US Marine, to seven years in prison for the sexual assault of a woman in Okinawa last year. In a harrowing testimony, the victim, in her 20s, was choked from behind during the attack, which the court deemed particularly vicious. The incident adds to a worrying trend of sexual assault cases connected to US servicemen stationed in Okinawa, where over half of the 54,000 US soldiers in Japan are based.

Okinawa has seen years of mounting frustration and protests over US military presence, which intensified after a notorious case 30 years ago involving the rape of a 12-year-old girl that sparked widespread demonstrations. Just in the past year, four sexual assault cases involving US military personnel have come to light, with another serviceman, Brennon Washington, sentenced to five years for the rape and kidnapping of an underage girl in December.

In the recent ruling, prosecutors had initially sought a 10-year sentence for Clayton. His defense team claimed that inconsistencies in the victim's testimony and her intoxication should invalidate the charges. However, judges at Naha District Court found her testimonies credible and sentenced him to seven years in prison. Judge Kazuhiko Obata described the brutality of the attack, noting significant injuries to the victim that required a two-week recovery.

The discontent with the US bases in Okinawa extends beyond criminal incidents, encompassing issues such as aircraft noise and pollution. Efforts to relocate military bases have been met with resistance, as many Okinawans advocate for their complete removal. Experts, however, argue that Japan's strategic alliance with the US is too robust to allow such changes, especially amid regional tensions from North Korea’s missile activities and China's territorial claims.