Lance Cpl Jamel Clayton, age 22, was convicted for the violent attack, which has reignited long-standing tensions between local residents and American military installations in the region.
US Marine Sentenced to Seven Years in Japan for Choking and Sexual Assault
US Marine Sentenced to Seven Years in Japan for Choking and Sexual Assault
A US Marine has been imprisoned for seven years after a court found him guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in Okinawa, Japan, amidst growing concerns about US military personnel's conduct.
In a verdict delivered by the Naha District Court, Clayton was sentenced to serve seven years for the sexual assault of a woman in her 20s, joining a worrying pattern of criminal cases involving US servicemen stationed in Okinawa. The 22-year-old's case exemplifies the community's ongoing resentment towards the presence of US military bases, a sentiment that has seen escalated protests over the decades due to numerous incidents of alleged misconduct.
The assault occurred last year when Clayton was found to have choked the victim from behind while attempting sexual intercourse. Despite his defense team arguing for his acquittal, citing the victim's intoxication and inconsistencies in her testimony, the court determined her account credible. Judge Kazuhiko Obata criticized the brutality of the assault, remarking on the lasting injuries the woman sustained.
This ruling comes amidst a troubling trend of sexual assault cases linked to US military personnel in Okinawa, with several others reported recently, adding to the existing unease within the local community. Their frustrations are compounded by other issues connected to the military presence, such as aircraft noise and environmental concerns. Efforts to relocate the US bases have been met with resistance from the Japanese government, which maintains a strong military alliance with the US amidst regional threats from China and North Korea.
The assault occurred last year when Clayton was found to have choked the victim from behind while attempting sexual intercourse. Despite his defense team arguing for his acquittal, citing the victim's intoxication and inconsistencies in her testimony, the court determined her account credible. Judge Kazuhiko Obata criticized the brutality of the assault, remarking on the lasting injuries the woman sustained.
This ruling comes amidst a troubling trend of sexual assault cases linked to US military personnel in Okinawa, with several others reported recently, adding to the existing unease within the local community. Their frustrations are compounded by other issues connected to the military presence, such as aircraft noise and environmental concerns. Efforts to relocate the US bases have been met with resistance from the Japanese government, which maintains a strong military alliance with the US amidst regional threats from China and North Korea.
