At his first hearing in Naha District Court, Brennon Washington, 25, said, "I am not guilty," claiming he is innocent of the charges, Kyodo News said.
The case came to light in late June, about three months after he was charged, when local police decided not to reveal the incident. The decision has inflamed strong and existing opposition to the US military presence in the prefecture, the Xinhua news agency reported.
According to the indictment dated March 27, the American soldier allegedly invited the girl to talk to him in his car in a park in the town of Yomitan on December 24, 2023 and took her to his residence before committing indecent acts such as kissing and touching the lower half of the girl's body knowing that she was under 16 years old.
Washington was handed over to Japanese authorities following the indictment, but was released after posting bail and is currently in US custody, according to the Okinawa prefectural government.
Just days after the Washington case came to light, it was revealed that a US Marine had been arrested in May on suspicion of attempted rape resulting in injury. Police also did not make the case public at the time, citing the victim's privacy.
The Japanese Foreign Ministry was aware of the two incidents, but refrained from providing information to the Okinawa prefectural government, taking into account the police decision, according to the report.
In the wake of revelations of these sex crimes involving U.S. military personnel, the Japanese government earlier this month reviewed information-sharing agreements with local governments, promising to notify municipalities of any crimes allegedly committed by U.S. military members. "without exception," according to the report. aggregate.
Okinawa is home to 70 percent of all U.S. military bases in Japan, while accounting for only 0.6 percent of the country's total land area. Crimes committed by U.S. service members and non-military personnel have been a constant source of grievance for locals.
The rape of a 12-year-old schoolgirl from Okinawa by three American servicemen in 1995 sparked a wave of public outrage. Other cases include the rape and murder of a 20-year-old woman in 2016 by a former US base worker who was later sentenced to life in prison, according to Kyodo News.
The case came to light in late June, about three months after he was charged, when local police decided not to reveal the incident. The decision has inflamed strong and existing opposition to the US military presence in the prefecture, the Xinhua news agency reported.
According to the indictment dated March 27, the American soldier allegedly invited the girl to talk to him in his car in a park in the town of Yomitan on December 24, 2023 and took her to his residence before committing indecent acts such as kissing and touching the lower half of the girl's body knowing that she was under 16 years old.
Washington was handed over to Japanese authorities following the indictment, but was released after posting bail and is currently in US custody, according to the Okinawa prefectural government.
Just days after the Washington case came to light, it was revealed that a US Marine had been arrested in May on suspicion of attempted rape resulting in injury. Police also did not make the case public at the time, citing the victim's privacy.
The Japanese Foreign Ministry was aware of the two incidents, but refrained from providing information to the Okinawa prefectural government, taking into account the police decision, according to the report.
In the wake of revelations of these sex crimes involving U.S. military personnel, the Japanese government earlier this month reviewed information-sharing agreements with local governments, promising to notify municipalities of any crimes allegedly committed by U.S. military members. "without exception," according to the report. aggregate.
Okinawa is home to 70 percent of all U.S. military bases in Japan, while accounting for only 0.6 percent of the country's total land area. Crimes committed by U.S. service members and non-military personnel have been a constant source of grievance for locals.
The rape of a 12-year-old schoolgirl from Okinawa by three American servicemen in 1995 sparked a wave of public outrage. Other cases include the rape and murder of a 20-year-old woman in 2016 by a former US base worker who was later sentenced to life in prison, according to Kyodo News.
