Latest news with #StatusofForcesAgreement
Japan Today
17-05-2025
- Japan Today
U.S. Navy officer indicted for wife's murder; Fukuoka police not informed
The U.S. Navy said Friday that one of its officers has been indicted on murder and other charges in connection with the death of his American wife, whose body was found at a hotel in Fukuoka in October. The indictment was filed on May 7, but Fukuoka police have yet to receive official notification from U.S. authorities, according to a Japanese investigative source. The case underscores how the bilateral Status of Forces Agreement limits Japan's jurisdiction over crimes involving U.S. military personnel. Under the pact, the United States has primary jurisdiction over offenses involving its service members, civilian employees and their dependents. While unofficial notices are sometimes given to Japanese authorities, the details of such communication remain unclear. © KYODO
Kyodo News
16-05-2025
- Kyodo News
U.S. Navy officer indicted for wife's murder, no notice to Japan
KYODO NEWS - 20 minutes ago - 22:40 | Japan, All The U.S. Navy said one of its officers has been indicted on murder and other charges in connection with the death of his American wife, whose body was found at a hotel in Fukuoka, southwestern Japan, in October. The indictment was filed on May 7, but Fukuoka police have yet to receive official notification from U.S. authorities, according to a Japanese investigative source. The case underscores how the bilateral Status of Forces Agreement limits Japan's jurisdiction over crimes involving U.S. military personnel. Under the pact, the United States has primary jurisdiction over offenses involving its service members, civilian employees and their dependents. While unofficial notices are sometimes given to Japanese authorities, the details of such communication remain unclear. Related coverage: U.S. military, Okinawa hold 1st safety forum after sex assault cases U.S. Marine in Okinawa indicted over rape, injury
Japan Today
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Japan Today
U.S. Marine in Okinawa indicted over rape, injury
A 27-year-old U.S. Marine in Japan's Okinawa Prefecture has been indicted for allegedly raping a woman and injuring another in a U.S. military base restroom last month, according to local prosecutors. Austin Wedington, who was under custody by the U.S. military in line with the bilateral Status of Forces Agreement, was handed over to Japanese authorities on Wednesday. The accord governs the legal status and conduct of U.S. military personnel in Japan. The prosecutors have not disclosed Wedington's response to the allegations. The assault allegedly occurred in the central part of the main island of Okinawa. Multiple sexual violence cases by U.S. service members in Okinawa have come to light since June last year, leading to four indictments to date. The southern island prefecture hosts the bulk of U.S. military facilities in Japan. "There have been ongoing sexual assaults by U.S. military personnel despite our call for swift preventative measures," said Okinawa Gov Denny Tamaki. "We cannot help but have doubts regarding the education and management of U.S. military personnel. We strongly urge the implementation of more effective countermeasures," he added. According to the indictment, Wedington choked a female civilian worker in a base lavatory before sexually assaulting her against a stall door and then stomped on the face of the woman who tried to rescue her. Okinawa police voluntarily questioned Wedington after receiving a report. His case was referred to prosecutors on April 7. U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass said in a statement that he was "disturbed" by the allegations, adding that it does not "reflect the values of the tens of thousands of U.S. service members who serve here honorably." The indictment comes as the U.S. forces and the Japanese government prepare to hold the first meeting of a forum on May 9 to "address a range of issues and improve community relations." The forum had been created to strengthen cooperation among the U.S. military, the central Japanese government and Okinawa's government and local residents as part of efforts to prevent sexual crimes involving American military personnel. Revelations last year by media that the central government had failed to disclose alleged sexual assault cases involving U.S. military members angered locals. © KYODO
The Mainichi
01-05-2025
- Politics
- The Mainichi
US Marine in Okinawa indicted over rape, injury
NAHA (Kyodo) -- A 27-year-old U.S. Marine in Japan's Okinawa Prefecture was indicted on Wednesday for allegedly raping a woman and injuring another in a U.S. military base restroom last month, according to local prosecutors. Austin Wedington, who was under custody by the U.S. military in line with the bilateral Status of Forces Agreement, was handed over to Japanese authorities the same day. The accord governs the legal status and conduct of U.S. military personnel in Japan. The prosecutors have not disclosed Wedington's response to the allegations. The assault allegedly occurred in the central part of the main island of Okinawa. Multiple sexual violence cases by U.S. service members in Okinawa have come to light since June last year, leading to four indictments to date. The southern island prefecture hosts the bulk of U.S. military facilities in Japan. "There have been ongoing sexual assaults by U.S. military personnel despite our call for swift preventative measures," said Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki. "We cannot help but have doubts regarding the education and management of U.S. military personnel. We strongly urge the implementation of more effective countermeasures," he added. According to the indictment, Wedington choked a female civilian worker in a base lavatory before sexually assaulting her against a stall door and then stomped on the face of the woman who tried to rescue her. Okinawa police voluntarily questioned Wedington after receiving a report. His case was referred to prosecutors on April 7. U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass said in a statement that he was "disturbed" by the allegations, adding that it does not "reflect the values of the tens of thousands of U.S. servicemembers who serve here honorably." The indictment comes as the U.S. forces and the Japanese government prepare to hold the first meeting of a forum on May 9 to "address a range of issues and improve community relations." The forum had been created to strengthen cooperation among the U.S. military, the central Japanese government and Okinawa's government and local residents as part of efforts to prevent sexual crimes involving American military personnel. Revelations last year by media that the central government had failed to disclose alleged sexual assault cases involving U.S. military members angered locals.
Kyodo News
01-05-2025
- Business
- Kyodo News
Kyodo News Digest: May 1, 2025
KYODO NEWS - 5 minutes ago - 09:20 | All, Japan, World The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News. ---------- U.S., Ukraine sign economic reconstruction deal WASHINGTON - The United States on Wednesday signed an economic deal with Ukraine that signals the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is committed to seeing lasting peace in the war-torn nation after weeks of contentious negotiations between the two countries. "This economic partnership positions our two countries to work collaboratively and invest together to ensure that our mutual assets, talents and capabilities can accelerate Ukraine's economic recovery," the U.S. Treasury Department said in a statement. ---------- U.S. Marine in Okinawa indicted over rape, injury NAHA, Japan - A 27-year-old U.S. Marine in Japan's Okinawa Prefecture was indicted on Wednesday for allegedly raping a woman and injuring another in a U.S. military base restroom last month, according to local prosecutors. Austin Wedington, who was under custody by the U.S. military in line with the bilateral Status of Forces Agreement, was handed over to Japanese authorities the same day. The accord governs the legal status and conduct of U.S. military personnel in Japan. ---------- Snake causes power outage, Tokyo-Osaka shinkansen services disrupted NAGOYA - Services were temporarily disrupted Wednesday on the Tokaido Shinkansen bullet train line connecting Tokyo and Osaka after a snake tangled in overhead wires and caused a power outage, the operator said. The incident occurred between Gifu-Hashima and Maibara stations around 5:25 p.m., causing suspensions on the Tokyo-bound trains between Shin-Osaka and Nagoya and the Osaka-bound trains between Shin-Osaka and Tokyo. ---------- Japan PM negative about opposition's 1-year consumption tax cut plan TOKYO - Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Wednesday rejected a proposal by a major opposition party to remove the consumption tax on food items for one year, aimed at cushioning the impact of inflation and higher U.S. tariffs. Amid calls to reduce tax burdens, including from within the ruling coalition, Ishiba said he will "examine in detail" proposals from other parties, including one from the Komeito party, the junior coalition partner of his Liberal Democratic Party. ---------- Ex-Japan ruling coalition party head seeks more exchanges with China BEIJING - Natsuo Yamaguchi, former leader of Japan's junior ruling coalition partner, the Komeito party, met Wednesday with a senior Chinese Communist Party official in Beijing and sought more exchanges between the two Asian neighbors. Yamaguchi, who is on a three-day visit to China through Wednesday, told reporters following his talks with Liu Jianchao, head of the ruling Communist Party's International Department, that it is important to "deepen bilateral interactions in a wide range of areas including education, culture and sports." ---------- Japan PM hails "relations of trust" with Vietnam, Philippine leaders MANILA - Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Wednesday he succeeded in building "relations of trust" with the leaderships in Vietnam and the Philippines during his trip to the two Southeast Asian nations. Ishiba told reporters in Manila before he left for Tokyo that his four-day trip was "meaningful," saying the agreements reached on strengthening security ties will foster "peace, stability and the rule of law" in the region, in an apparent reference to concerns over China's military clout. ---------- Baseball: Yamasaki sets CL shutout inning record as Giants beat Carp TOKYO - Yomiuri Giants right-hander Iori Yamasaki set a new Central League record of starting a season with 35 shutout innings on Wednesday, propelling his team to a 2-0 win over the Hiroshima Carp. Yamasaki (4-0) threw seven scoreless innings at Tokyo Dome to eclipse the previous record of 31 innings set by Etsuo Nakai in 1963 and Shoki Murakami in 2023, both for the Hanshin Tigers. Video: Participants complete a walk tracing the route that Korean envoys to Japan took during Japan's Edo period in Tokyo
