US marine accused of raping Japanese teen
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Japanese police have arrested a US marine accused of raping a 14-year-old girl on the island of Okinawa.
Japanese police have arrested 38-year-old marine Tyrone Luther Hadnott who is based at Camp Courtney. They say the alleged rape took place in a parked car late on Sunday.
Local media reports say Hadnott has denied the allegations, but the incident is already inflaming tensions in Okinawa, where the bulk of the 50,000 US troops based in Japan are located.
Hadnott met the young girl two hours earlier in Okinawa city and offered her a ride home, reports said.
He then allegedly took her to his house and tried to kiss her, but when she started crying decided instead to drive her home in his car, Kyodo News said.
The girl telephoned her friends for help, Kyodo said.
Previous crimes involving US personnel have sparked mass protest rallies.
On the weekend, plans to relocate some US military bases in Japan received a boost, when a mayoral election in the western city of Iwakuni was won by a candidate who supports the expansion of the local base.
- ABC/AFP