October 7, 2026
Tsuyoshi Masuda
President, Japan Federation of Democratic Medical Institutions (Min-iren)

Okinawa Prefectural Police on October 4 arrested a U.S. Marine stationed at the Futenma Air Station for allegedly murdering a woman at a hotel in Naha City on October 3. We protest with strong indignation against another brutal crime. 

Repeated serious crimes committed by U.S. military personnel are causing tremendous anger and anxiety among Okinawa residents. According to the statistics from Okinawa Prefectural Police, the number of criminal offences committed by U.S. military personnel rose for four consecutive years from 2021 to 2025, surging more than twofold from 41 cases in 2021 to 101 cases in 2025. Whenever a crime or an accident occurs, phrases like “tightening discipline” and “preventing recurrence” are repeated, but no improvements are ever made. Okinawan people’s human rights and right to live in peace continue to be violated.

Discriminatory arrangements under the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement make it difficult for Japan to hold U.S. military personnel fully accountable when incidents involving them occur. The Japanese government must not leave this situation unaddressed.

Furthermore, about 70% of U.S. military bases in Japan are concentrated on Okinawa, clearly serving as a major cause of the frequent occurrence of crimes. We urge the Japanese and U.S. governments to take seriously the situation that threatens the dignity of women as well as to immediately close and remove the Futenma base and withdraw the U.S. Marines.

We Min-iren are determined to continue to fight with Okinawan residents and a wide range of citizens throughout Japan in order to achieve a peaceful and prosperous Okinawa without military bases.