Some U.S. troops in Japan can ring in 2013 outside the gates thanks to a one-night-only New Year's Eve curfew extension granted Tuesday by the top U.S. military commander in Japan.

Those on Okinawa, however, must still abide by the 11 p.m.-5 a.m. curfew, imposed in October after two sailors allegedly gang-raped a woman on Okinawa.

The exemption allows troops on the mainland to stay out until 1 a.m. "to enjoy the arrival of the New Year with their Japanese hosts" although they must stop drinking by 12:30 a.m., Air Force Lt. Gen. Sam Angelella wrote in a memo to all military personnel in Japan.

Angelella ordered the curfew "to demonstrate to our Japanese hosts that we're serious about our relationship" and to "jolt" servicemembers into being good neighbors, Angelella said last week.

A handful of subsequent arrests prompted other commanders to clamp down even further on troops. The Navy, for example, now requires all sailors to be at home by 11 p.m. And on Okinawa, servicemembers cannot buy or consume alcohol off base.