NAHA, Japan (BN24) — A Japanese court on Tuesday sentenced a U.S. Marine to seven years in prison for sexually assaulting a woman in Okinawa, deepening tensions on the southern island long burdened by the American military presence.
Lance Cpl. Jamel Clayton, 22, from Ohio, was convicted by the Naha District Court of assaulting a woman in her 20s in May 2024 in the village of Yomitan. According to prosecutors, Clayton choked the woman from behind, sexually assaulted her, and left her with injuries. The court found him guilty despite his denial of the charges, which prosecutors had sought to punish with a 10-year sentence.
Presiding Judge Kazuhiko Obata said the victim’s account, delivered anonymously and remotely during the proceedings, was both consistent and credible. The court rejected Clayton’s claims of innocence, siding with the prosecution’s argument that the assault was both violent and deliberate.
The conviction has reignited outrage on Okinawa, home to roughly 70% of all U.S. military installations in Japan. Although the island accounts for less than 1% of Japan’s landmass, it hosts the bulk of the 50,000 U.S. troops stationed across the country under the Japan-U.S. security treaty.
“This behavior does not reflect the values of the Marine Corps nor does it exemplify the standards the overwhelming majority of our Marines uphold daily,” said Capt. Kazuma Engelkemier, spokesperson for the 3rd Marine Division, in a statement confirming the verdict. Engelkemier added that the Marine Corps had fully cooperated with the investigation and respected Japan’s judicial process. Clayton has remained in Japanese custody since his indictment last year.
The case is among several high-profile sexual assault allegations involving U.S. service members that sparked criticism in 2024, especially after reports emerged that local authorities initially delayed publicizing the arrests to protect victims’ privacy. That approach triggered accusations of cover-ups and eroded public trust.
Defense Minister Gen Nakatani raised the issue during a meeting Monday with Lt. Gen. Roger Turner, commander of the III Marine Expeditionary Force, calling for stronger disciplinary and preventive measures. The meeting coincided with the 80th anniversary commemorations of the Battle of Okinawa, one of the bloodiest campaigns of World War II.
The legacy of that battle, followed by decades of U.S. military occupation until 1972, has left a deep sense of resentment among Okinawans. Residents continue to protest the noise, environmental pollution, aircraft accidents, and recurring crimes associated with U.S. bases.
The case has also intensified calls for revisions to the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between Japan and the United States. Critics argue the agreement too often shields American personnel from Japanese legal accountability, allowing the U.S. to retain primary jurisdiction over many crimes.
This week, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s Cabinet adopted a new statement revealing that between 2014 and 2024, Japanese prosecutors dropped over 300 criminal cases involving U.S. military personnel, including a 2020 sexual assault case in Okinawa that never resulted in charges.
