The U.S. Marine Corps has introduced a new policy prohibiting low-ranking Marines in Japan from going off base alone in their free time, in an attempt to prevent alcohol-related incidents involving, according to a U.S. military newspaper.
The Stars and Stripes' Saturday edition said the "Liberty buddy order," which has been in effect since Aug. 16, requires junior Marines to sign out with a colleague and come back together whenever they go off base.
The new rules, issued by Lt. Gen. Earl Hailston, are part of an attempt to prevent incidents triggered by drinking, the paper reported.
"Liberty buddies must check out together, stay together and return together. Switching liberty buddies is prohibited. If for any reason buddies become separated, each must make an immediate attempt to reunite," the report said.
In Japan's southernmost prefecture Okinawa, a 19-year-old Marine is alleged to have walked into a house off base and molested a 14-year-old junior high school girl while she was sleeping at home July 3. The Marine later told police he had been drinking.
The case has rekindled antibase sentiment in Okinawa.
According to the Stars and Stripes, there are about 16,000 Marines stationed in Okinawa, 2,500 on Iwakuni base in Yamaguchi Prefecture and a small number at Camp Fuji in Shizuoka Prefecture.