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              Three US Sailors Arrested for Alleged Rape in Japan

   by VOA News

   Police in Japan have arrested two U.S. sailors on suspicion of raping a
   Japanese woman on the island of Okinawa, further raising tension about
   the presence of American troops there.

   Tokyo summoned U.S. Ambassador John Roos and lodged an official protest
   about the incident, which was said to have happened early Tuesday on
   Okinawa's main island.

   After meeting with senior Japanese officials, Ambassador Roos said
   Wednesday Washington is "extremely concerned" about the incident and is
   committed to working with the Japanese investigation.

   "We, as we have always done in the past, work our hearts out to earn
   the trust of the Okinawan people and the people of Japan as a whole,"
   he said.

   Many in Okinawa, a major base for the U.S. military in Japan, were
   already upset with Washington after the controversial Osprey hybrid
   aircraft was recently deployed to the island despite what some said
   were safety concerns.

   Residents have also complained about other incidents involving U.S.
   troops. The worst came in 1995, when a Japanese schoolgirl was raped by
   three U.S. servicemen, sparking widespread protests by Okinawans.

   The Kyodo news agency quotes Okinawa Governor Hirokazu Nakaima as
   describing the latest incident as "madness." He urged Tokyo to push
   Washington to take a "stern response that goes beyond simply enforcing
   stricter discipline."
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References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/three-us-sailors-arrested-for-alleged-rape-in-japan/1527934.html