Authorities in Japan have asked the US military for permission to question a US sailor about the killing of a taxi driver, officials said yesterday.
A prefectural police spokesman said police were waiting for the US military's response to their request to talk with the soldier, who was apprehended by US Navy investigative officers on Saturday in downtown Tokyo. The police official spoke on condition of anonymity, citing policy.
Japanese and US authorities believe that the sailor may have information about the fatal stabbing of a 61-year-old taxi driver last week in Yokosuka, just south of Tokyo, because a credit card with the sailor's name was found in the victim's car.
During questioning by US military investigators, the sailor denied allegations of killing the driver, Japanese media reported yesterday.
US Navy spokesman Commander David Waterman refused to confirm the report, saying the man has not been named a formal suspect in the killing.
"He is being detained for desertion. I don't know what the investigative officers are questioning him [about]," Waterman said.
He denied that Japan had asked to visit the base to question the sailor or asked for him to be handed over to Japanese police.
The name, age, nationality and other details about the sailor -- a crew member of the USS Cowpens based at Yokosuka -- were not released for privacy reasons, Waterman said.
The case comes as public anger over the US military presence in Japan is mounting, with US troops facing a series of allegations ranging from rape to drunk driving.
The outrage has prompted the military to impose restrictions on the 50,000 US servicemen stationed in Japan.
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