Japan: Over 80 Percent of Rape Suspects from US Military Not Arrested

[unhappycamper]

http://watchingamerica.com/News/193312/over-80-percent-of-rape-suspects-from-the-u-s-military-not-arrested/

Over 80 Percent of Rape Suspects from US Military Not Arrested
Ryukyu Shimpo, Japan
Translated By Ethan Ferraro
16 January 2013
Edited by Rachel Smith

Since 1996, of the 118 suspects who were members of the American military and charged with such heinous crimes as murder, burglary, arson and rape, 58 had their cases processed without arrest. Of the 35 suspects who were charged with rape, 30 — a shocking 85.7 percent — were processed without arrest. The only solution to this problem is a drastic revision to the U.S.-Japan Status of Forces Agreement.

In 1995, the American and Japanese governments agreed that they would improve the system for handling suspects accused of heinous crimes by having the American military transfer suspects to Japanese authorities before prosecution, when deemed necessary. However, this agreement has not been sufficient. The agreement between the American and Japanese governments appears meaningless.

This situation is a result of the vagueness of the agreement and the fact that American authorities only transfer suspects into the custody of Japanese officials at their own discretion. At the very least, this agreement must be changed to obligate the American authorities to transfer suspects to Japanese custody when the suspects are accused of a serious crime.

~snip~

When investigations have been hindered to such an extent, why are there so few cases of suspects being handed over before prosecution? Is the 1953 secret agreement between Japan and America still in effect? This agreement stated that, “In the case of an incident involving American military personnel, the incident will not be handled publicly and aside from particularly serious crimes. We have no intention of allowing the Japanese to exercise their jurisdiction over said crime.”* Evidence of this humiliating agreement was in the secret minutes of the committee for the U.S.-Japan alliance. If this agreement is still in use, it must be immediately disposed of. When investigations have been hindered to such an extent, why are there so few cases of suspects being handed over before prosecution? Is the 1953 secret agreement between Japan and America still in effect? This agreement stated that, “In the case of an incident involving American military personnel, the incident will not be handled publicly and aside from particularly serious crimes. We have no intention of allowing the Japanese to exercise their jurisdiction over said crime.”* Evidence of this humiliating agreement was in the secret minutes of the committee for the U.S.-Japan alliance. If this agreement is still in use, it must be immediately disposed of.

[PDJane]

1. Which is why the armed forces in Japan are looked on as bad neighbours.

The Japanese can't be blamed for their opinion; along with serious crimes, there are things like traffic violations, DUI's, and propositioning of Japanese schoolgirls.