U.S. Marine Sentenced to 7 Years by Japanese Court for Sexual Assault

A Japanese court has sentenced Lance Corporal Jamel Clayton, a 22-year-old U.S. Marine from Ohio, to seven years in prison after convicting him of sexually assaulting a local woman in Okinawa. The verdict was delivered by the Naha District Court, which found that Clayton attacked the woman in her twenties in the village of Yomitan in May 2024.

According to a report by the Associated Press, the court determined that Clayton choked and sexually assaulted the victim, whose remote testimony was accepted as credible. While Clayton denied the charges, a panel of professional and citizen judges ruled unanimously against him. Prosecutors had originally sought a 10-year sentence.

Presiding judge Kazuhiko Obata described the incident as “dangerous and malicious,” highlighting the physical injuries and the risk to the woman’s life caused by the choking. Clayton has remained in Japanese custody since his indictment and will receive credit for approximately 270 days already served in detention.

The U.S. Marine Corps stated that it had monitored the trial without intervening and emphasized that Clayton’s actions “do not reflect the values of the Marine Corps.”

This case has once again stirred tensions in Okinawa, where the majority of U.S. military bases in Japan are located. Local officials and residents have long voiced concern over crimes, noise, and environmental issues associated with the American military presence. Japan’s Defense Ministry has reportedly raised the issue with U.S. commanders, calling for tighter control and accountability of personnel stationed on the island.

The case also revived public debate over the Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) between the U.S. and Japan, which critics say often limits Japan’s ability to fully prosecute foreign military personnel. Human rights groups in Okinawa argue that more than 300 criminal complaints involving U.S. troops have been dropped over the last decade due to legal ambiguities under SOFA.

Clayton’s legal team is reviewing the verdict and may appeal.