US military pledges action after Japan rape

Updated October 19, 2012 10:58:29

The US military has promised to take steps "to ensure responsible behaviour" for troops stationed in Japan after two servicemen were accused of raping a local woman.

The alleged rape has sparked renewed anger in Japan over the presence of more than 20,000 US troops on the southern Island of Okinawa, where local leaders have long pushed for scaling back the US military's profile.

The Pentagon's spokesman George Little says it is now "working closely" with the Japanese government in the investigation.

"We are also examining and will soon announce a package of measures to ensure responsible behaviour and to demonstrate our commitment to maintaining positive relationships with the local communities that host our forces," he said in a statement.

"We deeply regret any grief and trauma the victim may have endured."

The Pentagon did not specify what steps would be unveiled but they may be too little too late, with many locals up in arms over the US military presence.

Okinawa governor Hirokazu Nakaima, a vocal critic of the size of the vast US presence on the island, has expressed his fury over the "insane" crime.

"This is nothing but abhorrent," he told reporters, citing another case of sexual offence allegedly by a US soldier in August.

"We cannot accept this no matter how much (the US military presence) is claimed to be necessary for national security."

Okinawa police say they have arrested Christopher Browning and Skyler Dozier Walker, both 23, on charges of raping and injuring the woman on Tuesday, hours before they had reportedly planned to leave the island.

Police say the local woman, whose identity was not revealed, suffered injuries to the neck.

- ABC/wires

Topics: law-crime-and-justice, japan, asia, united-states

First posted October 19, 2012 10:52:11