Japan's Top Officials Demand Handover of Wanted US Marine

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Tuesday, June 17, 2003

Japan's Top Officials Demand Handover of Wanted US Marine

Japan's top officials on Tuesday demanded the United States to rapidly hand over a US Marine charged with beating and raping a Japanese woman.

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Japan's top officials on Tuesday demanded the United States to rapidly hand over a US Marine charged with beating and raping a Japanese woman.

In a meeting with US Ambassador to Japan Howard Baker, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda demanded a swift handover.

"We are requesting at the Japan-US Joint Committee a handover before the indictment. I want it be dealt with soon," Kyodo News quoted Fukuda as saying.

Baker replied that Washington intends to respond to the Japanese request "in good faith, carefully and expeditiously," according to Kyodo.

Jose Torres, 21, allegedly beat and raped a 19-year-old Japanese woman in the town of Kin, Okinawa prefecture, on May 25 after they met at a restaurant.

Under the Japan-US Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA), Torres, who is now in US military custody, would not be shifted to the Japanese police before indictment.

Japan's Naha District court issued an arrest warrant on Monday.

Fukuda's demand came one day after Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi made a similar statement Monday.

Other cabinet members on Tuesday also urged the United States to hand over the suspect.

Hiroyuki Hosoda, state minister for Okinawa,, describing the incident "unacceptable," said he hopes that the United States would hand over the suspect as quickly as possible. Defense Agency chief Shigeru Ishiba said he hopes the Washington would deal with the matter "in good faith."

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Friday he was regretful about the issue but pointed out it will unlikely lead to revision of the agreement.

"It was regrettable. I have called for strict discipline for a long time to prevent this kind of case," said Koizumi.

Japan will handle the case by "implementing the agreement appropriately" instead of immediately consulting the United States about a possible revision of the SOFA, he added.

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