U.S. Soldier in Japan Sent to Prosecutors over Sexual Assault

Naha, Okinawa Pref., May 23 (Jiji Press)–Police in the southernmost Japan prefecture of Okinawa have sent papers to prosecutors on a U.S. Army soldier in his 20s for allegedly sexually assaulting an adult female acquaintance and causing injury, it was learned Saturday. The police notified the Okinawa prefectural government on Friday that the man was referred to prosecutors the same day on charges including nonconsensual sexual intercourse resulting in injury. Authorities have not disclosed whether the suspect has admitted to the charges. The man is suspected of sexually assaulting the acquaintance outdoors on the main island of Okinawa and subsequently using violence to inflict injuries requiring several weeks to heal. Authorities also allege that the suspect left the scene by car, hit a roadside guard pipe and failed to report the accident to police, in violation of the road traffic law. According to investigative sources, the incident came to light after the woman asked a bystander to report it to police. The suspect was under U.S. custody, and the prefectural police questioned him on a voluntary basis. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]