US Air Force captain arrested in Japan

A US Air Force captain was arrested in Okinawa, Japan on Saturday for suspected drunk driving, according to a police spokesman. The incident occurred around 3:09 am as the 27-year-old captain was driving on a road in Okinawa City, though it is unclear if he violated a curfew imposed by US officials. The captain, who is assigned to Kadena Air Base on Okinawa, was reportedly not commenting.

This arrest follows a week after Tokyo and Washington agreed to measures to prevent crimes by US service members on Okinawa, following a murder case involving an American Marine that sparked outrage. The US military has approximately 54,000 personnel stationed in Japan, with the majority on Okinawa. Crimes committed by its members have strained relations between the close security allies.

US officials have also extended a curfew for lower-ranking service members until December 7 and banned all service members from drinking alcohol outside their homes between midnight and 5 am.