Comment by Foreign Minister Yohei Kono on Policy to Enforce Official Discipline by the U.S. Forces in Okinawa

July 10, 2000

1. The Government of Japan, taking a series of incidents by some members of the U.S. Forces in Okinawa very seriously, has expressed to the U.S. side that these incidents are deeply regrettable, and urged it to come up expeditiously with tangible and effective measures to tighten discipline among the servicemembers, island-wide.
   
   
2. As a result, on and after today, July 10, additional policies will be immediately taken covering all the U.S. forces stationed in Okinawa (the Marine Corps, Air Force, Navy and Army). These policies will include an after-midnight curfew and a restriction on the sale of alcohol that will be continuously in effect even after the Kyushu-Okinawa Summit Meeting. I take it that these prompt measures indicate a stand of the U.S. Forces in Okinawa to prevent the recurrence of such incidents as they take a very serious view of the recent incidents.
   
   
3. I intend to urge the U.S. side to enforce stricter discipline so that there will be no more unfortunate incidents.
   
   

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