TOKYO (AFP) — US forces in Japan said late Monday they would ease a sweeping curfew on troops that was imposed nearly two weeks ago in a bid to calm public anger after an alleged rape by a US Marine.
The move comes despite a fresh incident that triggered official condemnation in which a drunken US serviceman allegedly defied the curfew and smashed an office window with a steel pipe.
The US military said it was ending round-the-clock restrictions on the more than 20,000 troops on the southern island of Okinawa but would keep in place a curfew from 10:00 pm to 5:00 am.
The military completely ended restrictions on the movement of civilian base personnel and relatives of troops, who had come under the unusually tough curfew imposed on February 20.
Marine Lieutenant General Richard C. Zilmer, the top US commander in Okinawa, also said troops would remain barred from drinking alcohol off bases except at private homes linked to the military.
"The curfew, coupled with ongoing cooperative initiatives with our Japanese hosts at the national and local level, will offer the best atmosphere for our service members, family members and civilian employees while reducing the possibility and risk of misconduct," he said in a statement.
He said that the "overwhelming majority" of troops were "great ambassadors of America," but warned them to behave themselves.
"As we begin to venture outside our gates, I remind all of you that we are guests in Japan and must represent our nation with the utmost pride, professionalism and respect for our hosts," he said.
The US military had slapped the wide-ranging curfew in hopes of preventing anger from boiling over after a Marine was arrested for allegedly raping a 14-year-old girl.
Prosecutors in a surprise decision on Friday released the Marine, saying the girl did not want to pursue the case. The US military immediately took the Marine into custody and said it would launch its own probe.
More than 40,000 US troops are stationed in Japan under a security treaty to defend Washington's key Asian ally, which has been officially pacifist since World War II.
Half of the troops are stationed in Okinawa, which was under US occupation until 1972 and lies strategically close to the Taiwan Strait.
Okinawa has seen frequent tension with the troops. Major protests broke out in 1995 when three US servicemen gang-raped a 12-year-old girl, setting in motion a process that led to a deal for thousands of troops to be pulled out.
The sweeping curfew -- dubbed by the military as a "period of reflection" -- also affected one base in mainland Japan at Iwakuni near Hiroshima, where there has been recent friction with the local community.
Officials at the Iwakuni base could not immediately be reached late Monday on whether the restrictions would remain in place there.
US troops have been accused in a series of incidents this year in Okinawa. On Monday, the Philippines said it was sending diplomats to Okinawa to help in a case of a Filipina woman who was allegedly raped by a US serviceman.
On Sunday, Okinawa police said they arrested a US airman who allegedly jumped the fence at his base and smashed the glass door of an office with a steel pipe.
Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, who met with US Ambassador Thomas Schieffer on Saturday over the troops, expressed regret over the latest incident but praised US action.
"I believe the US military is making efforts, but it happened," Fukuda said. "I think that the (Japanese) diplomatic service is asking for more thorough measures to be implemented."
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