The Naha District Court building in Naha, Okinawa, as seen on June 24, 2024. (Keishi Koja/Stars and Stripes)
CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa – Gov. Denny Tamaki of Okinawa lodged a complaint Thursday with the U.S. Air Force’s 18th Wing at Kadena Air Base over the indictment in March of an airman accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a minor.
Okinawa Vice Gov. Takekuni Ikeda delivered the complaint Thursday morning to wing commander Brig. Gen. Nicholas Evans, a spokeswoman for the prefectural Military Base Affairs Division told Stars and Stripes by phone that day.
Ikeda expressed “strong resentment” about the incident and asked for apologies and appropriate compensation, according to the spokeswoman.
The airman, Brennon R. E. Washington, 25, was indicted by local prosecutors March 27 on charges of indecent kidnapping and nonconsensual sexual intercourse in December with a girl under 16.
Evans phoned the prefecture Wednesday to explain that Washington was handed over to Japanese authorities in March, but subsequently was released on an undisclosed amount of bail, she said.
Washington is restricted to Kadena Air Base pending trial, and international law prevents him leaving the country, she said.
“This crime allegation does not reflect most of the U.S. service members that work for the Japan-U.S. alliance, “ Evans said Thursday, according to the spokeswoman. “It is very regretful that it is causing concerns to the citizens of Okinawa.”
An unnamed representative for the 18th Wing acknowledged an emailed request from Stars and Stripes for comment Thursday but did not immediately responded.
Neither Okinawa police nor the Naha Public Prosecutors’ Office had publicly released information about the airmen’s indictment prior to scheduling him Monday for a hearing July 12 in Naha District Court.
Okinawa prefecture learned of the indictment after local media reported it Tuesday, the spokeswoman said.
Tamaki, already opposed to the U.S. military presence on Okinawa, at a press conference Tuesday expressed frustration with being kept in the dark, she said.
“Not receiving any notice about this kind of crime will raise mistrust,” Tamaki said, according to the spokeswoman.
Some government officials in Japan may speak to the media only on condition of anonymity.
The day of Washington’s indictment in March, Masataka Okano, Japan’s vice-minister for foreign affairs, lodged a protest with U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel, according to Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi at a Tuesday press conference.
Okinawa prefecture was also afforded late notice of that exchange, the division spokeswoman said. “We were noticed about the ministry’s protest by the Okinawa liaison office of Japan’s Foreign Ministry on Tuesday,” she said.
Hayashi on Wednesday in Tokyo refrained from commenting on why Tamaki was not informed earlier of Washington’s indictment.
“In light of the purpose of Article 47 of the Criminal Procedure Code, we are aware that the public prosecutors carefully decide whether to officially announce it or not, its amount and method, depending on each case,” Hayashi said at a press conference. He cited the effects of disclosing information on the “prestige and privacy of the related persons,” investigations and trials.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Maki Kobayashi at a regular press conference Wednesday repeated Hayashi’s explanation.
The Naha Public Prosecutors Office and Naha District Court declined to provide further information about Washington’s release on bond.
