Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki recently announced his intentions to travel to the United States in September to hold discussions with U.S. government officials in light of a recent spate of sexual crimes involving American service members. Tamaki highlighted his role as governor in safeguarding the lives, property, and overall well-being of the people in Okinawa and expressed concern over the central government's reluctance to disclose information about these cases to the local government under the guise of protecting the victims' privacy.
During a news conference in Tokyo, Tamaki stressed the importance of balancing victim privacy with community safety, emphasizing that informing the public promptly following such incidents is crucial. He also criticized the central government's information-sharing protocol, suggesting that immediate and comprehensive sharing of information regarding crimes involving U.S. service members should be prioritized to ensure the timely and appropriate response to such incidents. Tamaki reiterated his commitment to raising Okinawa's grievances to the U.S. Defense Department, the State Department, and American citizens, underscoring the disparity in the distribution of U.S. military presence across Japan and the disproportionate burden placed on Okinawa.