Okinawa governor calls for review of U.S. forces pact

Governor Genta Koja of Okinawa has called for a review of the US forces agreement, following the murder of a 39-year-old Japanese woman allegedly committed by an American Marine. The incident has caused significant anxiety among Okinawa residents and reignited controversy over the presence of US military on the southern island. The United States has approximately 54,000 military personnel stationed in Japan, with a majority on Okinawa.

The murder has led Okinawa lawmakers to adopt a resolution requesting revisions to the 1960 Japan-US Status of Forces Agreement, which they claim renders US military bases virtually extraterritorial and immune to Japan's domestic laws. Governor Koja, elected in September, is the first Okinawa leader in 12 years to endorse a US military base relocation plan.

He has called for the swift return of lands used for other US bases in Okinawa's commercial center under a 2013 agreement, which he believes will help boost the local economy. The review of the US forces pact should encompass prompt compliance with Japanese requests to transfer suspects in detention prior to indictment and the adoption of Japanese laws, such as the aviation act, to the US military.