Okinawa official tours U.S. in bid for SOFA changes

[unhappycamper]

Okinawa official tours U.S. in bid for SOFA changes
By David Allen, Stars and Stripes
Pacific edition, Wednesday, January 14, 2009

CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa — Okinawa Gov. Hirokazu Nakaima is on a 10-day lobbying swing through the U.S., pushing for changes to the status of forces agreement and reducing the U.S. military footprint on the island.

According to accounts by local reporters traveling with the governor, Nakaima spoke to Pentagon officials last week about changing the SOFA to ensure all servicemembers charged with crimes be immediately turned over to Japanese police.

Under the existing agreement, Japanese police retain custody only if they make an arrest off base. Otherwise, the military retains custody until indictment.

The two countries since 1995 have agreed that personnel accused of "heinous" crimes — murder, rape and arson — be turned over to Japanese authorities before indictment.

But the SOFA does not reflect the agreement, a situation Nakaima told reporters in Washington on Friday that U.S. representatives have indicated would remain unchanged.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=59969