Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Also at issue is the behavior of some US Service members. From 1952 to 2004, it's been reported
that there were over 200,000 accidents and crimes involving US personnel in which 1,076 Japanese
civilians were killed. Although over 90 percent of the incidents were vehicle or traffic related, the few
cases of violent crime, especially rape and murder, have severely strained relaions between the two
countries. Between 1972 and 2003, there were 5,157 crimes commited by Americans against civil-
ians in Okinawa. Of these, 533 were deemed by the Okinawa authoriies to be “heinous crimes such
as murder, robbery and sexual assault.” Twelve murders have been commited by US servicemen in
Okinawa.
According to the US-Japan Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), US personnel have parial “extra-
territorial rights” (meaning the right of a foreigner charged with a crime to be turned over for trial
in accordance with his own naional laws). The US has argued that the status granted to its military
members is necessary to aford them the same rights that exist under the US criminal jusice system.
Since the SOFA also exempts most US military members from Japanese visa and passport laws, past
incidents occurred in which US military members charged with crimes by Japanese authorities were
transferred back to the US without facing prosecuion in Japanese courts. In the opinion of many Ok-
inawans, the US has used the SOFA to shield its ciizens who have committed violent crimes against
Japanese ciizens.
