EURO ASIA NEWS INTERNET NEWSPAPER

Japan and the US have agreed to reconsider the agreement on the status of US forces and civil servants in Japan to limit the number of legal privileges enjoyed by the American side. This was stated on Tuesday, Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida.

“We intend to continue to work on the systematization of this agreement”, – quotes its words agency Kyodo. US Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy, who represented the American side at the ceremony in the house of the Japanese Foreign Ministry receptions, also noted that “the United States intend to continue to ensure the safety of American and Japanese citizens.”

According to the current agreement between the two countries, the Japanese prosecutors can not bring charges against US troops and civilians if they commit illegal acts “during the performance of official duties”, because they are under US jurisdiction.

The revised agreement, civil servants at US military facilities in Japan are divided into four categories. According to Japanese authorities, the concretization of the concept of “civil servant” will reduce the number of Americans who have legal privileges.

It is expected that the amendments will enter into force in a few months.

The question of the revision of the agreement on the status of the US military came after on the southern island of Okinawa on May 19, was arrested a former Marine, now a civilian employee of Kadena Air Force Base on suspicion of killing 20-year-old girl whose body was found in the woods. After that, 4 June on the island of an accident involving 21-year-old American servicemen. The drunk she drove into the oncoming lane and collided with two cars, with the result that two local residents were injured.

These incidents have caused thousands of Okinawa residents protest action and have exacerbated the problem of the US military presence. The island has about 75% of all US military facilities in Japan. They placed about 25 thousand. US military, including the Marine Division.