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U.S. Marines charged with rape of Japanese woman


    TOKYO (Reuters) - Four U.S. Marines based in southwest Japan have been charged with raping a Japanese woman last October, a U.S. military spokesman said on Friday, days after the arrest of another Marine for suspected rape of a schoolgirl on the southern island of Okinawa.

    U.S. military authorities at Iwakuni Marine Corps AirStation are holding hearings to determine whether the fourMarines, aged 20 to 39, should face courts martial for thesuspected rape of the woman, who was 19 at the time.

    Japanese police had decided last year not to proceed with acase against the four over the incident, which Japanese mediasaid occurred in a car at a car park in nearby Hiroshima Cityafter the Marines met the young woman at an event hall.

    "The hearing is on today and is expected to possibly rollover until tomorrow," an Iwakuni air station spokesman said,adding that it could take some time before a decision onpossible courts martial was made.

    On Monday, Japanese police arrested a U.S. Marine stationedon Okinawa -- where many residents have long resented beinghost to the bulk of the U.S. troops in Japan -- on suspicion ofraping a 14-year-old schoolgirl.

    The Marine, 38-year-old Tyrone Hadnott, has denied rapingthe girl but acknowledged forcing her to kiss him, an Okinawapolice spokesman has said.

    Japan is host to about 50,000 US. military personnel aspart of the bilateral security alliance, but friction oftenoccurs with communities near the bases because of concern aboutcrime, accidents and noise.

    The latest incident on Okinawa has triggered memories ofthe 1995 rape of a 12-year-old schoolgirl by three U.S.servicemen that sparked huge protests on the island and raisedconcerns about damage to the broader security relationship.

    The U.S. ambassador to Japan, Thomas Schieffer, flew toOkinawa this week in an effort to soothe anger over theepisode, which comes as Tokyo tries to persuade Okinawaresidents to accept a plan to move the Marines' Futenma airbase from the crowded city of Ginowan to the coastal city ofNago, part of a broader plan to move about 8,000 Marines fromOkinawa to Guam.

    On Thursday, the top commander of the U.S forces in Japantold reporters the military had set up a task force to reviewand strengthen programmes to prevent sexual harassment andassault.

    "It is our job to do everything we can to restore theconfidence of the Japanese people in the U.S. forces stationedhere in Japan," Lieutenant General Bruce Wright said.

    Last Sunday, the mayor of Iwakuni city lost a re-electionbid he had hoped would give him a mandate to battle on againsta U.S.-Japan plan to expand a U.S. Marine base in the city.

    (Reporting by Linda Sieg; Editing by Mike Miller)