U.S. military personnel in Japan ordered to avoid alcohol, confined to base after apparent DWI fatality
On Sunday night, the U.S. military ordered all service members in Okinawa to stay on base or at their off-base residence and banned alcohol consumption by all service members on mainland Japan at all times and in all places, following a fatal crash early Sunday morning. In the crash, an unidentified U.S. Marine and a 61-year-old Japanese man collided in Naha, Okinawa prefecture, killing the Japanese man and leaving the Marine slightly injured. Kazuhiko Miyagi of the Okinawa police told Voice of America that the Marine's blood alcohol level registered three times the legal limit in a breath test.
About half of the 50,000 U.S. troops stationed in Japan are on Okinawa, and their presence has met with local resistance, especially after U.S. military personnel behave badly off base. Sunday's order mandated training on responsible alcohol consumption, risk management, and other acceptable behaviors not just for military personnel but also U.S. government civilians stationed Japan.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Trump starts term with spate of executive orders
Speed Read The president is rolling back many of Joe Biden's climate and immigration policies
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump pardons or commutes all charged Jan. 6 rioters
Speed Read The new president pardoned roughly 1,500 criminal defendants charged with crimes related to the Capitol riot
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Today's political cartoons - January 21, 2025
Cartoons Tuesday's cartoons - early days, exhaustive executive orders, and more
By The Week US Published
-
British warship repels 'largest Houthi attack to date' in the Red Sea
Speed read Western allies warn of military response to Iranian-backed Yemeni rebels if attacks on ships continue
By Richard Windsor, The Week UK Published
-
Houthi rebels claim Red Sea ship attacks
speed read Iran-backed Yemeni group vows to escalate aggression towards Israel-linked vessels in revenge for Gaza war
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Israel plans next phase of Gaza war as first hostages released
Speed read After four-day ceasefire 'we will not stop' until destruction of Hamas, says Israel
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Mob storms Russian airport 'looking for Jews'
Speed Read Plane from Israel surrounded by rioters chanting antisemitic slogans after landing in Russia's Dagestan region
By The Week UK Published
-
Tuberville's military promotions block is upending lives, combat readiness, 3 military branch chiefs say
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Ukraine's counteroffensive is making incremental gains. Does it matter in the broader war?
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
US commissions first-ever Navy ship in a foreign port
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
British spy chief, Wagner video suggest Prigozhin is alive and freely 'floating around'
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published