Under new regulations, no U.S. service member in Japan is permitted inside an off-base bar or “drinking establishment” between the hours of 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. (Stars and Stripes)

A new liberty order, promised two months ago by the top U.S. commander in Japan following alleged cases of sexual assault and attempted sexual assault by U.S. troops, takes effect Tuesday.

The order from U.S. Forces Japan bans early morning drinking in off-base establishments for all service members and spreads responsibility to every service member for policing one another’s conduct, according to a copy of the order obtained Monday by Stars and Stripes.

“Servicemembers should make every reasonable effort to prevent inappropriate or illegal activities by other Servicemembers,” the order states. “If Servicemembers are aware of such misconduct, they are to directly report such misconduct to their chain of command or other appropriate organization/office as soon as possible to do so.”

The order, signed by USFJ commander Air Force Lt. Gen. Ricky Rupp, takes effect Tuesday, eight days before he hands over the command to his successor, Air Force Lt. Gen. Stephen Jost.

Rupp, in a public message on July 22, said liberty policies were under review for all service branches in Japan after charges of sexual assault and attempted sexual assault were filed that month by Okinawa prosecutors against two service members in unrelated cases.

“The new Liberty Order applies consistent policies and expectations across the force and throughout Japan, yet commanders at echelon retain the authority to strengthen their liberty policy, when appropriate, to meet mission requirements,” USFJ spokesman Col. Greg Hignite told Stars and Stripes by email Monday.

Under the new regulations, no U.S. service member in Japan is permitted inside an off-base bar or “drinking establishment” between the hours of 1 a.m. and 5 a.m.

The order defines a drinking establishment as a business that may serve food or have other forms of entertainment, but “whose primary function is serving alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises.”

Pubs, taverns, nightclubs and izakayas fall into this category, according to the order.

A new liberty order from U.S. Forces Japan bans early morning drinking in off-base establishments for all service members. (Stars and Stripes)

Additionally, all military personnel 19 years and younger, including those in Japan on temporary or detached duty, on leave or on a pass, must be off the streets between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m., the order states. They must be on a U.S. military installation or in an off-base home or lodging. They may also be in transit to an appropriate destination.

All service members, regardless of age, are barred from public consumption of alcohol outside a military base between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. on any day, including holidays, other than inside a home, quarters or hotel room, the order states.

No service member may be physically present in an off-base drinking establishment during those hours.

The new rules echo portions of a Marine Corps liberty order on Okinawa from December 2023. Discussions were underway over the summer to apply the Marines’ more stringent standards to all services in Japan, Capt. Brett Dornhege-Lazaroff, spokesman for Marine Corps Installations Pacific, said in July.

Leaders at all levels are expected to set an example and conduct themselves with proper decorum, to include responsible use of alcohol, according to Rupp’s order.

Commanders may not grant liberty to troops who have not completed sexual assault prevention and response training, and other directives issued by their respective services or the Defense Department, according to the order.

In case of alleged sexual misconduct against someone outside the U.S. military community in Japan, commanders must produce for USFJ the accused service member’s training certification, according to the order.

“Over the past several months, each service component has strengthened training modules against alcohol abuse and reinforced appropriate standards of conduct to underscore the importance of being a good neighbor,” Hignite wrote.

Commanders are also required to “continually evaluate members’ suitability to enjoy the privilege of liberty” and curtail liberty for anyone considered at risk of violating policies or harming the U.S.-Japan relationship, according to the order.

“Commanders shall practice proactive, intrusive leadership and develop programs that foster positive behavior and accountability,” the order states

Charges have been filed in three cases of alleged sexual assault and attempted sexual assault that came to light this year on Okinawa.

Senior Airman Brennon R.E. Washington pleaded not guilty July 12 in Naha District Court to charges of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a minor in December. Marine Lance Cpl. Jamel Clayton was charged in May with attempting to sexually assault a woman in Yomitan.

Most recently, Marine Lance Cpl. Michael Hofmaster was charged in September with sexually assaulting and injuring a woman in June.

Those cases led to formal complaints from the Japanese government to U.S. authorities, and from Okinawa prefecture to the U.S. Embassy, U.S. military commanders and the Japanese government. It also prompted calls from Okinawa’s legislature for changes to the status of forces agreement governing the U.S. military population in Japan.