Japan warns ties at risk over US troop behavior

The Japanese defense minister warned yesterday that further crimes by US troops could shake the two countries' alliance, while the Japanese foreign minister said Tokyo would install security cameras around US bases and take other steps to deter crime.

The warning of fraying ties by Japanese Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba came amid a furor over troop-related crimes in Japan after a US Marine's arrest last week on suspicion of raping a 14-year-old girl on the southern island of Okinawa.

"I don't think an alliance is possible unless the US shares the view that if incidents like this continue to happen, it could shake the foundation of the Japan-US alliance," Ishiba said during a lower house parliamentary meeting.

Ishiba urged the US to take concrete prevention measures and said promises to improve behavior in the future were not enough.

The Marine's arrest and a series of other crimes blamed on US troops have heightened sentiments against the US military presence in Japan, particularly on Okinawa, where more than half the 50,000 US troops in the country are based.

Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura also unveiled new security steps to curb crime around bases yesterday.

In addition to surveillance cameras, Komura announced joint Japanese-US patrols of entertainment districts around bases and said the US would give Japanese authorities more information about personnel living in off-base housing.

While the patrol applies to only bases in Okinawa, it was not immediately clear which areas the other measures apply to.

"We need continuous efforts for prevention of a recurrence," Komura said, adding that Japan and the US will review the off-base housing policy.

The foreign ministry said it would publicly release a list of the measures later in the day.

The US this week imposed tight new restrictions on troops, their families and civilian expatriates in Okinawa and elsewhere, limiting them to bases, workplaces and off-base housing. The military held a "day of reflection" yesterday to urge troops not to commit crimes.

The steps were part of a broad US campaign in the past week to soothe feelings as rising anger over the alleged crimes threatened to erupt into widespread protests against the US presence.

The latest furor began last week with the arrest of 38-year-old Staff Sergeant Tyrone Luther Hadnott over the alleged rape of a 14-year-old girl on Okinawa. Police said that Hadnott admitted to investigators that he forced the girl down and kissed her, but that he insisted he did not rape her.