TOKYO - Japanese citizens on Friday evening gathered outside the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Tokyo to protest sexual violence by US military personnel stationed in the country.

Earlier in the day, a US Air Force serviceman was sentenced to five years in prison by the Naha District Court for abducting and sexually assaulting a Japanese girl under 16 in Okinawa in December 2023.

Protesters condemned the act, stating that sexual violence by US military personnel is intolerable and that a five-year prison term is far too lenient compared to the suffering endured by the victim.

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They also criticized the Japanese central government and police for failing to provide case-related information to the Okinawa prefectural government. Protesters demanded accountability from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for concealing details of the case.

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Criminal incidents involving US military personnel in Japan have been a long-standing issue. According to Okinawa Prefecture statistics, approximately 6,200 criminal cases involving US military personnel and their dependents have been recorded in Okinawa from 1972 to 2023, including serious offenses such as murder, rape, and robbery.