The off-base drinking ban imposed on all American military personnel in Okinawa has been extended to cover all U.S. Marine Corps personnel throughout Japan, including those at the Iwakuni base in Yamaguchi Prefecture, U.S. Army officials in Okinawa said Monday.
Following recent incidents of misconduct involving U.S. servicemen, all military personnel in Okinawa have been ordered not to drink at any time of day or night at off-base restaurants or friends' homes. Service members will still be allowed to consume alcohol in their own homes.
Lt. Gen. Kenneth Glueck, commander of the 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force overseeing all U.S. Marines in Japan, now doubles as the Okinawa area coordinator, whose duty is to command all U.S. military forces there.
The U.S. military has imposed a curfew from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. on all service members in Japan in response to the alleged rape of a Japanese woman by two U.S. Navy sailors in the city of Okinawa in October. The two have admitted committing the crime.
Because incidents involving U.S. service members under the influence of alcohol continued even after the curfew was imposed, the off-base drinking ban was extended Saturday to all personnel in Okinawa.