An investigation of the laptop and phone of Kolby Mayer, a US soldier stationed at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, revealed approximately 1,175 images of child sexual abuse.
Found guilty in military court
According to the "Stars and Stripes" newspaper, Mayer was found guilty in a military court for possessing images related to child sexual abuse. He was sentenced to 20 months in prison and demoted.
Captain Joe Strzempko, the prosecutor responsible for military cases at US bases in Okinawa, stated that they believe the verdict is a just outcome and brings justice to the victims.
It was reported that Mayer was transferred to the Yokosuka Military Correctional Facility, located southeast of Tokyo, to be moved to a military prison in the US. According to a report on the Army.mil website of the US Department of Defense, Mayer served as an advanced operator of the Patriot missile launch station in the artillery regiment at Kadena Air Base.
Long-standing tensions in Okinawa
Although World War II ended in 1945, the strategically important Okinawa Island remained under US control until it was returned to Japanese sovereignty in 1972. Okinawa, which accounts for 0.6% of Japan's land area, hosts 70.6% of the total land area of US military facilities across the country.
Crimes allegedly committed by US soldiers and local personnel working at military facilities in the region have been a source of complaints among the Okinawan people for many years.