The Okinawa Prefectural Assembly leveled protests Friday at the central government and the United States over a series of crimes and incidents involving U.S. service members and called for more drastic action to address such problems.
In the resolution and opinion approved unanimously during an extraordinary session, the assembly members said, "We wonder why the Japanese and U.S. governments do not give serious consideration to the current situation, where crimes and accidents are repeated, and do not commit themselves to working out drastic solutions."
The assembly adopted a similar resolution in the wake of the alleged rape of a Japanese woman by two U.S. sailors in October.
"The U.S. government once again announced a thorough enhancement of discipline, but temporary restrictions are only in form," they said. "Voices have grown from among prefectural residents calling for a complete withdrawal of U.S. military bases."
The assembly called for realignment or reduction of the bases.