US Marine Accused Of Raping Teenager

Updated:14:27, Tuesday February 12, 2008

Japan's prime minister has condemned the alleged rape of a 14-year-old girl by a US marine on the island of Okinawa as "unforgivable".

Protests after 1995 rape

The alleged attack has revived memories of the 1995 rape of a 12-year-old girl by three American servicemen which provoked huge protests.

Staff Sgt Tyrone Luther Hadnott, 38, who is based at Camp Courtney on Okinawa, was arrested for allegedly attacking the youngster in a parked car - but he has not been charged.

Police say he had offered the girl a lift home but instead took her to his house and attacked her when she started crying and said she wanted to go home.

Hadnott has told investigators he forced the girl down and kissed her, but that he did not rape her.

Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda said: "This is unforgivable. The government will firmly negotiate with the US.

"We have to first find out what happened. We will do all we can to prevent a recurrence."

Foreign minister Masahiko Komura added: "There is the sense that we've had enough.

"We called on the US to strengthen discipline and prevent crimes from happening again."

He said the alleged attack could "complicate" disputes over American bases, which are a source of anger among many Japanese.

Joseph R Donovan Jr, the US Embassy's deputy chief of mission, said: "I said this is an extremely regrettable case and that we take it very, very seriously.

"I pledged our complete co-operation with the ongoing investigation of the Japanese authorities."

:: The three Americans convicted of rape in 1995 each served prison terms of six-and-a-half to seven years.