NAHA - The U.S. military is expected to resume solo patrols outside its bases as early as the end of the year, with both the Japanese and U.S. governments confirming the policy shift following a temporary suspension triggered by the wrongful detention of a civilian man.
The U.S. military began joint patrols in civilian areas with Okinawa Prefecture and the city of Okinawa in April as part of efforts to prevent a repeat of sexual assault cases involving service members, and from September had been conducting patrols independently.
However, in November, military police mistakenly detained a civilian man during a solo patrol in Okinawa City, prompting the U.S. side to halt independent patrols until the incident could be fully investigated.
According to a statement released on the 26th by the Japan-U.S. Joint Committee, the Japanese government expressed regret over the incident and formally requested that U.S. forces implement measures to prevent a recurrence.
In response, the U.S. military indicated that it intends to resume solo patrols as early as late December, once additional training has been completed.
While some residents see patrols by U.S. forces in civilian areas as a way to help prevent crime, others have raised concerns that such activities could lead to an expansion of U.S. military policing authority within Japan.
Source: 沖縄ニュースOTV
