A 22-year-old U.S. Marine was indicted last December over a sexual assault resulting in injury on a woman in Okinawa Prefecture, local prosecutors said Tuesday, bringing to light another alleged crime involving U.S. military personnel on the southern island.
The Marine, Lance Corporal Jordan Begaye, allegedly assaulted the woman with whom he had no personal acquaintance off base in October. The victim sustained injuries in the assault, according to the indictment and investigators.
The prosecutors did not disclose whether Begaye has admitted to the charge. They indicted him on Dec. 23, but said they refrained from notifying the public about the case "due to its nature."
Police also said they did not reveal it "in consideration of the woman's privacy."
The police said they received a call from neighbors saying a woman was seeking help, but Begaye had escaped by the time they rushed to the scene.
After investigating the case with cooperation from the U.S. side, the police referred it to prosecutors on Dec. 3 as a suspected indecent assault resulting in injury.
The U.S. military handed the accused over to Japanese authorities following the Dec. 23 indictment in line with the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement.
"Marine Corps leadership remains committed to maintaining an environment that rejects sexual assault and attitudes that promote such behaviors," the Marine Corps Installations Pacific told Kyodo News via email, calling such incidents "contrary to our core values."
The alleged sexual assault "was taken extremely seriously and was aggressively investigated" by U.S. military law enforcement, the statement said.
Okinawa is home to the bulk of U.S. military installations in Japan. Many residents are frustrated with noise, crimes and accidents linked to the facilities.
"It must never be forgiven, and we feel intense anger," Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki said in a statement. "An incident like this has been repeated. It must be said the education and management system of the U.S. military in Okinawa is extremely inadequate."
U.S. officials informed the Okinawa prefectural government of the incident following his indictment, it said.
The prefectural government said it summoned U.S. and Japanese officials in late December and lodged a protest with them behind closed doors.
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