US Marine sentenced to 7 years for sexual assault in Okinawa

A U.S. Marine stationed in Japan's Okinawa has been sentenced to seven years in prison for attempting to sexually assault a woman and injuring her in May last year, local media reported.

The Naha District Court delivered the ruling on Tuesday, describing the attack as dangerous and malicious, posing a threat to the victim's life.

U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Jamel Clayton, 22, was accused of attacking a woman he did not know, attempting to sexually assault her by choking and inflicting injuries.

While prosecutors sought a 10-year sentence, the defense argued for acquittal, claiming the woman's testimony lacked credibility. However, the presiding judge ruled the testimony to be highly reliable as there was no supporting evidence for the defendant's account, national broadcaster NHK reported.

Crimes involving U.S. military personnel in Okinawa have been a longstanding issue. According to Okinawa Prefecture's statistics, approximately 6,200 criminal cases involving U.S. military personnel and their dependents have occurred in the prefecture between 1972 and 2023, including serious offenses such as murder, rape, and robbery.