Okinawa Prefecture police have affirmed that the traffic event in which a male motorcyclist was rendered comatose was a hit-and-run committed by a U.S. Marine Corps major. It is totally reprehensible.
This case is also grievous in that, to borrow Okinawa City Mayor Sachio Kuwae’s words, it was “perpetrated by someone holding such a leadership position as major — such an egregious act.” Whatever happened to the U.S. military code of conduct and its preventative measures against future incidents and accidents? Are they really effective? Many Okinawans are enraged and at the same time, I’d assume, appalled.
According to authorities, the major responded voluntarily to questioning by police and acknowledged his involvement, testifying that he fled because [he] was scared. Authorities determined there is no flight risk and are not planning to seek his extradition, which leaves us scratching our heads. Normally, our own investigative agency, as a sovereign entity, should detain and question him.
The suspect is reportedly under the supervision of the U.S. military police, but is there really no risk of a cover-up and destruction of evidence? History bears witness to repeated galling incidents and accidents involving the U.S. military, with suspects sneaking back into the base and flying home to the United States, well beyond this country’s jurisdiction.
Any way you look at it, you have to say there is something utterly preposterous about the current U.S.-Japan Status of Forces Agreement, which stipulates that before prosecution a suspect should, in principle, be handed over to the United States, unless Japan first detains him or her.
In response to the incident, newly-installed Okinawa Governor Takeshi Onaga, referring to how the agreement should read, displayed his willingness to fight for reforms, saying it needs fundamental resolution. Well, naturally.
Next year marks 70 years since the end of World War II. Will we servilely maintain this distorted relationship, turning a blind eye to the inequitable agreement that ensures the privileged status of the United States Forces over Japanese service members? I would hope that as of Dec. 12, each and every one of the candidates in the House elections (which took place on Dec. 14) will fully take in the severity of the incident and pledge their resolve to reform the agreement.
There is no suspicion at this point that there was driving under the influence involved. However, such a possibility shouldn’t yet be ruled out, given that the accident occurred in the early morning hours and that the driver fled the scene. A hit-and-run incident is punishable by the Japanese Road Traffic Act, but due to the shield provided by the Status of Forces Agreement, our inability to establish DUI-related charges against the driver is a fait accompli. We mustn’t ignore this point. We mustn’t, at any cost, let the driver get off scot-free.
On Dec. 9, the U.S. military greatly eased alcohol consumption limits for its Okinawa service members, but since its late November announcement, the number of DUI incidents and accidents had been piling up. Doesn’t this show a sense of privilege lurking within the ranks that emanates from the agreement? Unless the U.S. Marine Corps deeply and solemnly atones for its string of incidents and accidents, [its members] cannot claim to be our good neighbors.
As a citizen of the United States , I agree completely that it is morally reprehensible for a U.S. Marine Corp major to get away with this drunken( ? ) hit and run motor vehicle accident. As a democratic socialist I don’t understand why the U.S. military presence is still tolerated in Okinawa. In general DRUNKENNESS is great American military tradition too when our heroic soldiers are not dutifully occupied killing various and numerous designated enemies.
The late American Senator William J. Fulbright wrote a book during the Vietnam War era titled ” The Arrogance of Power “.
And what could have been more arrogant-and more CRIMINAL – than the United States dropping two atomic bombs on Japanese cities during World War II ? The horror and the inhumanity are still appalling.
But it was a SOBER Harry Truman who made THAT decision. How could American racism not have been a factor in deciding the fate of Hiroshima and Nagasaki ?
As a pacifist I would love to see the whole occupied world shout : ” GO HOME U.S.MILITARY ! ”
My own apology to the newly installed Okinawa governor Takeshi Onaga. For the whole catastrophe !
http://radicalrons.blogspot.com/