TOKYO - Japan asked the United States to thoroughly enforce discipline among military personnel in the country after a U.S. Marine in Okinawa Prefecture was arrested for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol during curfew hours imposed following a murder case involving another Marine, the top spokesman said Monday.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told a press conference that Tokyo urged Washington to take preventive measures following the "regrettable" incident on Saturday in the southern island prefecture, home to many U.S. military bases.
On Saturday, Kalvin Montoya Cardona was arrested after being caught with a blood-alcohol content twice the legal limit at around 12:25 a.m. in the city of Okinawa, according to local police.
The latest incident "causes significant concern among local residents and is unacceptable," said Kihara, adding that the government has conveyed its "regret" to the United States at a senior level.
Earlier on Monday, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi told reporters that he wants the U.S. side to "take seriously" the fact that the incident occurred despite the curfew period starting Oct. 9 in response to the arrest on Oct. 4 of Devin Ballard.
Ballard was subsequently indicted on charges of robbing and murdering a local woman in Naha, the capital of Okinawa.
Japan has also requested the U.S. side to take "effective preventive" measures and ensure that the curfew hours are strictly implemented, Koizumi said, referring to the midnight-to-5 a.m. curfew imposed during a 30-day "period of reflection."
Koizumi stressed that preventive measures are being discussed in bilateral high-level consultations following the case involving Ballard.
"We want to reach conclusions as early as possible, announce the measures and put them into practice," he said.
Kihara also said that the Okinawa Policy Council, a joint body of the central and Okinawa governments, will hold a meeting on Friday to discuss "basic policies" related to the prefecture. It will be the council's first meeting since 2013.
