US-Base-Okniwa
Tokyo, November 14.
Police in Japan’s Okinawa island arrested a U.S. Air Force captain on Saturday on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.
According to police, the incident occurred at a time when tensions are rising between the two allied nations in the Pacific region.
The arrest comes on the heels of widespread local outrage triggered by an alleged murder incident involving a U.S. Marine on Okinawa island, and less than a week after Tokyo and Washington agreed to adopt measures to curb crimes committed by U.S. service members.
Approximately 54,000 U.S. troops and civilian personnel are stationed in Japan, with the majority of them based in Okinawa. Criminal acts by U.S. military personnel have long remained a challenge to the security relations between Japan and the United States.
U.S. officials announced last week that a nighttime curfew imposed on lower-ranking service members would be extended until December 7. Additionally, military personnel have been banned from consuming alcohol outside their homes between midnight and 5:00 AM.
According to a spokesperson for the Okinawa Prefectural Police, the 27-year-old U.S. Air Force captain was arrested at around 3:09 AM on Saturday while driving on a road in Okinawa City. It remains unclear whether the captain violated the curfew enforced by U.S. authorities.
According to Kyodo News, the arrested captain was stationed at the Kadena Air Base in Okinawa.
— RSS/AFP
