December 22, 2009The mayor of the Okinawa Prefecture village of Yomitan visited the National Police Agency (NPA) on Monday seeking action over a fatal hit-and-run accident in which a U.S. army sergeant is suspected of being involved.
Yomitan Mayor Keizo Yasuda and other village officials handed a request to National Public Safety Commission (NPSC) Chairman Hiroshi Nakai, asking the Japanese and U.S. governments to work towards the early handover of the suspect in the accident, which killed a 66-year-old man. They also requested a fundamental review of the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement.
The request was adopted on Dec. 13 in the village at a local residents' rally organized to protest against the fatal hit-and-run.
In response to Yasuda's demand for the soldier's detention and the forming of a case, Nakai explained, "We must gather evidence to endure a trial even without a confession. We will collect evidence even if it takes time. It's not that we are making special considerations."
Yasuda and other village officials have also visited the Prime Minister's Office to make a similar request.
(Mainichi Japan) December 22, 2009
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