Over 2,500 Okinawans rally against sexual assaults by US military personnel

More than 2,500 people gathered here on Dec. 22 to protest against a spate of sexual assaults by U.S. servicemen stationed in Okinawa Prefecture, according to organizers.

People overflowed to outside of the venue at the civic center in the city of Okinawa. Participants deemed the Japanese and U.S. governments as primarily responsible for ensuring that such incidents are not repeated, and adopted a resolution calling for the prevention of a recurrence and demanding an apology and compensation for the victims.