A 19-year-old U.S. Marine accused of molesting a Japanese junior high school girl in the city of Okinawa last month will face a court martial, it was learned Friday.
Local police arrested the marine, posted at Futenma Air Station in Ginowan, on July 3 for allegedly breaking into the girl's house and molesting her as she slept.
The incident, reminiscent of a 1995 rape of an Okinawan schoolgirl by three U.S. servicemen, triggered a wave of protests from local residents, prompting U.S. President Bill Clinton to offer an apology when he visited for the July 21-23 Group of Eight summit.
On July 23, Okinawa prosecutors handed the suspect over to U.S. military authorities, abandoning jurisdiction in the case.
The prosecutors explained that they took into account the wishes of the victim and her family. But some local residents have criticized the move, expressing concern that the marine could be sent back to the U.S. without any punishment.
U.S. military officials confirmed that the marine, whose name has not been released because he is a minor, was indicted July 31 on charges of drunken driving, breaking into a house and obscene conduct.