Earlier this summer, when an American serviceman was accused of raping a Japanese woman on Okinawa, the U.S. military authorities were put in a difficult position.
Before they agreed to hand the suspect over to local police they asked that certain conditions be met, including an interpreter chosen by the U.S. side and the presence of the suspect's lawyer during all interrogation sessions. Under considerable political pressure, the U.S. side eventually withdrew these conditions and transferred the soldier to the custody of the Okinawan police.
The conclusion to the five-day standoff was generally seen as a victory for Japan, but according to Seijo Fujiwara, vice-chairman of the Japan Federation of Bar Associations, the Japanese people should not feel smug about the outcome. Writing on the editorial page of the Asahi Shimbun last month, Fujiwara said that the U.S. demands "were not unreasonable," and detailed how Japan's criminal investigation procedures "are not in line with international standards."