US military in Japan bans drinking

Nov 20, 2017 | News On Japan

Nov 20, 2017 (NHK) - The US military in Japan has banned all its service members from drinking both on and off base following a fatal car accident in Okinawa Prefecture, southern Japan.

The military also said on Sunday that its service members in Okinawa are restricted to base and to their residences.

The bans will remain in place until further notice.

The move follows the arrest of US Marine Private First Class Nicholas James MacLean. He is suspected of ramming a vehicle into a small truck on a street in the city of Naha, killing its 61-year-old Japanese driver.

Police say a breathalyzer test showed the Marine's alcohol level was 3 times the legal limit.

Similar measures were taken after a US civilian base worker was arrested on suspicion of killing a woman in Okinawa in May of last year.

The nephew of the deceased man told NHK on Monday that his uncle was very gentle and that he's full of grief over the accident.

The nephew said every time such incidents occur, the US military vows to tighten discipline among its members, but similar accidents happened again.

He said that unless effective measures are taken, there will be no relationship of trust between people in Okinawa and the US military.

Source: ANNnewsCH

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