A court in Japan has sentenced a US marine to seven years in prison after finding him guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in Okinawa last year. Lance Cpl Jamel Clayton, 22, attacked the woman in her 20s, choking her from behind and attempting sexual intercourse, the court ruled. The case is one of a string involving US servicemen based in the Okinawa archipelago, where more than half of the 54,000 US soldiers serving in Japan are based. Previous crimes committed by American personnel have sparked anger and protests by locals in Okinawa, the largest of which took place 30 years ago, when tens of thousands took to the street following the rape of a 12-year-old girl. In the last year alone, there have been four sexual assault cases involving US service members in Okinawa, including air force member Brennon Washington, who was given five years for the rape and kidnapping of an underage girl by a court in December 2024. Prosecutors in Tuesday's case had asked for 10 years for Clayton,according to Stars and Stripes, which covers US military news. Clayton had denied all the charges against him. His defence had pointed to the young woman's "intoxication" and inconsistencies in her story during the trial earlier in June. But judges at Naha District Court gave Clayton, of Ohio, seven years in prison after findingthe victim's testimonies had "a high-level of credibility throughout", Kyodo news agency reported. During sentencing, Judge Kazuhiko Obata described the attack as "vicious", with the woman being choked for one to two minutes, Stars and Stripes said. According to Kyodo, the woman sustained injuries to her eyes which took two weeks to heal. Local opposition to the US bases goes beyond just the criminal cases, extending to aircraft noise and pollution. There have been previous efforts to move the US bases to less populated parts of Okinawa, but many locals want them removed altogether. Experts, however, say Japan's military alliance with the US is too strong for that to happen. And they say Tokyo needs Washington given the challenges it faces, be it China's growing claims over disputed waters and islands, or North Korea's missile tests.
US marine jailed for seven years for sexual assault in Japan
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"US Marine Sentenced to Seven Years for Sexual Assault in Okinawa"
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TruthLens AI Summary
A court in Japan has sentenced Lance Corporal Jamel Clayton, a 22-year-old US Marine, to seven years in prison after he was found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman in Okinawa last year. The incident involved Clayton choking the victim from behind and attempting sexual intercourse, which the Naha District Court deemed as a vicious attack. The court's decision comes amid growing concerns regarding a series of sexual assault cases involving US servicemen in Okinawa, where a significant number of American military personnel are stationed. The local population has expressed outrage over such incidents, leading to protests and calls for accountability, particularly in light of historical cases that have strained relations between the US military and the Okinawan community. In this case, prosecutors had sought a harsher penalty of ten years, highlighting the severity of the crime and the impact on the victim, who suffered injuries that required two weeks to heal.
During the trial, Clayton denied the charges and his defense team argued that the victim's intoxication and inconsistencies in her testimony undermined her credibility. However, the court found her accounts to be credible and consistent throughout the proceedings. Judge Kazuhiko Obata characterized the assault as particularly brutal, noting the significant physical and emotional harm inflicted on the victim. The ongoing issues surrounding US military presence in Okinawa extend beyond criminal behavior, encompassing broader concerns such as noise pollution and environmental damage caused by military operations. While there have been discussions about relocating US bases, experts suggest that the strong military alliance between Japan and the US, especially in the context of regional security threats from China and North Korea, makes significant changes unlikely in the near future.
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