Military scandal: Japan sentences US soldier over sex crime

A Japanese court has sentenced a U.S. Marine to seven years in prison for a violent sexual assault attempt on a local woman in Okinawa, in a case that has reignited tensions between Japan and the American military presence in the region.

Lance Corporal Jamel Clayton, 22, was found guilty of “causing injury while attempting non-consensual sexual intercourse,” according to the Naha District Court’s official ruling on Tuesday, June 24, 2025.

The verdict stems from a 2024 incident in which Clayton was accused of choking and attempting to rape a woman in her 20s, as reported by Japanese news outlets Kyodo News and Jiji Press.

Presiding Judge Kazuhiko Obata described Clayton’s actions as “so dangerous that they could have threatened the victim’s life,” and labeled the assault as “highly malicious.”

Prosecutors had initially sought a 10-year sentence, citing the severity of the assault and its psychological impact on the victim.

While the court handed down a lesser term, the judge emphasized that the act was violent and premeditated.

Clayton pleaded not guilty throughout the trial.

His defense team argued that he did not use force, claiming he “only hugged her and left,” as reported by The Yomiuri Shimbun.

His lawyers are reportedly preparing to file an appeal.

The verdict comes amid long-standing friction between Okinawan residents and U.S. forces stationed on the island.

Okinawa hosts about 70% of the American military presence in Japan, under the terms of the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty signed in 1960.

Japanese officials and local residents have repeatedly called for a review of the pact, particularly after a string of high-profile crimes involving U.S. personnel.

In 2024 alone, 80 American military personnel and affiliates were charged with crimes in Okinawa — including eight serious cases involving robbery and sexual assault — marking the highest annual total in three decades, according to a local police official.

The case also draws painful memories of a 1995 gang rape of a 12-year-old girl by three U.S. servicemen, a turning point that sparked massive protests and demands for changes to the status of forces agreement (SOFA).

As Clayton’s legal team moves toward an appeal, observers note that the outcome of the case may once again influence bilateral negotiations on military conduct and accountability.

For many Okinawans, the incident is more than a single crime — it symbolizes a recurring issue of justice, autonomy, and safety under the shadow of foreign military bases.

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