再発防止へ「全力で取り組む」　沖縄米兵事件で遺憾表明―米国務省高官

　【ワシントン時事】クリテンブリンク米国務次官補（東アジア・太平洋担当）は３日、時事通信とのインタビューで、沖縄県での在沖縄米兵による性的暴行事件について、「遺憾であり、このようなことが二度と起こらないよう全力で取り組む」と表明した。
　クリテンブリンク氏は事件に関し、「米国は非常に深刻に受け止めている」と強調。「米兵は最高の行動規範を守ることが期待されている。今回疑われているような犯罪は、われわれの基本的価値に反する」と述べ、米国でも容認されるものではないと批判した。（2024/07/04-14:28）

A senior U.S. State Department official vowed in an interview with Jiji Press on Wednesday to make full efforts to prevent a recurrence of recent sexual crime cases involving U.S. military personnel stationed in Okinawa Prefecture, southernmost Japan.
   "Incidents like these are really deeply regrettable, deeply unfortunate, and we're going to work really hard to prevent this from happening again," U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Kritenbrink said.
   The interview came after a U.S. airman was indicted in March for allegedly kidnapping and sexually assaulting a girl in December last year, and a male Marine was charged last month with injuring and attempting to sexually assault a woman in May. Both cases occurred in Okinawa.
   In addition, it was learned Wednesday that three other cases involving U.S. military personnel have occurred since last year.
   "The United States takes these allegations very seriously," Kritenbrink stressed. "All U.S. service members are expected to uphold the highest standards of conduct. Crimes like the ones that are alleged are absolutely contrary to our core values."