The U.S. military is instituting a 48-hour alcohol ban for soldiers stationed in Okinawa after a Marine was accused of murdering a 39-year-old Japanese woman, setting off an international incident that has inflamed tensions between the two countries.
The “Period of Training,” as military leaders called it, will run from Wednesday to Friday. Also included in the order was a 48-hour pause on operations and mandatory discussions on off-duty behavior, enforcement mechanisms, alcohol awareness, Okinawan culture and alliance responsibilities, according to a memo written by Lt. Gen. Benjamin T. Watson, the Okinawa area coordinator and commanding general of III Marine Expeditionary Force, and posted to social media Tuesday evening.
The alcohol restriction applies to private residences, Watson noted. Bases will remain open for mission-essential and essential personal movement, according to an FAQ page.
Watson said the opportunity would allow military officials to train service members on standards, discipline and responsibilities as “members of the Okinawan community.”
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“Every member of this force must understand that individual conduct has consequences,” wrote Watson.
Following the training, service members will enter a 30-day “Period of Reflection.” During that time, the military will implement restrictions on service members to remind them that “liberty is a privilege and a collective responsibility.”
Additionally, service members must follow a midnight curfew and are required to be back on base in their assigned quarters or off-base housing from midnight to 5 a.m., the memo states.
The military will also implement enhanced supervision at gates across all installations on Okinawa. Officials have not released details on what the enhanced security measures would entail.
A review of liberty policies and procedures will also be conducted, and recommendations will be shared with the Okinawa Area Coordinating Committee for potential implementation.
It’s unclear if alcohol consumption will be allowed during the reflection period.
In response to a question about why force-wide measures are being directed, the U.S. military said: “Incidents of this nature demand a pause for reflection. Every interaction with the people of Okinawa either builds or undermines the trust essential to our alliance.”
Officials arrested 20-year-old Devin Jacob Ballard on Sunday in connection with the murder of Anna Yagi. Okinawa police believe Ballard strangled Yagi in a Naha hotel room Saturday and stole her personal items, The Associated Press reported.
Ballard, who was based at Futenma Air Station, has denied the allegations, local outlets reported.
Okinawa is home to 32 U.S. Military bases. The U.S. has maintained an active military presence in the region since 1945. More than 50,000 American troops are stationed in Japan under a bilateral security agreement, according to The Associated Press.
The ongoing military presence in Okinawa has been a long-standing source of frustration for the local community, the AP reported. About 70% of the U.S. military’s presence in Japan is concentrated on the island.
However, some residents view it as a valuable asset in response to ongoing threats from China, according to the outlet.
The murder has nonetheless raised new questions about the heavy U.S. military presence on the island, with local leaders taking aim at the two countries’ security agreements.
On Wednesday, Okinawa Gov. Genta Koja told reporters, “The case deals a major shock and adds fear to the Okinawans who have already been forced to live next to U.S. bases,” according to a translation published by the AP.
“It is absolutely unforgivable and we are outraged,” he added.
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