US soldier pleads not guilty to sexual assault of minor in Japan

ISTANBUL

A US Air Force member in Japan pleaded not guilty Friday to kidnapping and sexually assaulting a minor in December, according to media reports.

The incident, kept secret by police, surfaced late last month, sparking anti-US sentiment in Okinawa, home to numerous American military facilities in Japan, Kyodo News reported.

"I'm not guilty," said Brennon Washington, 25, at a Naha District Court hearing.

Prosecutors said Washington invited the victim, who is now 16, into his car at a park in Yomitan on Dec. 24, then drove her to his off-base residence, knowing she was under 16, the age of consent in Japan.

Prosecutors presented security footage of the interaction and pictures of Washington on the victim’s mobile phone. They said the victim reported the incident to her mother, who contacted police.

The defense argued Washington thought the girl was 18 and that the sexual acts between the two were consensual.

Washington, stationed at the Kadena Air Base, was handed over to Japanese authorities but released on bail and remains in US custody.

Another case emerged days after Washington’s that involved a US Marine who was arrested in May for attempted rape. That case was also kept secret by police to protect the privacy of the victim.

Japan reviewed its information-sharing policies with the US following the revelations, promising to inform local governments of crimes by American military members.

US Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel expressed "deep regret" on Friday about the incidents and announced steps to improve the training and education of US military personnel in Okinawa.

"As guests of Japan and guarantors of our shared peace and security, we can do better, we should do better, and, crucially, we will do better," he said.

Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa said Thursday that cases of sexual assault involving US forces “cannot be tolerated,” and urged Washington to prevent such incidents in the future.

Around 50,000 US troops are deployed under a bilateral security pact in Japan, with roughly half in Okinawa.