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| Rice voices regret over rape case | Rice voices regret over rape case |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has voiced deep regret over a US marine's alleged rape of a girl on the Japanese island of Okinawa. | US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has voiced deep regret over a US marine's alleged rape of a girl on the Japanese island of Okinawa. |
| Ms Rice is currently visiting Japan on the last leg of her three-nation regional tour. | |
| Thousands of US troops are based in Okinawa, Japan's southern-most island. | Thousands of US troops are based in Okinawa, Japan's southern-most island. |
| Many Okinawans dislike the US presence, and in 1995 there were mass protests after American troops gang-raped a 12-year-old girl there. | Many Okinawans dislike the US presence, and in 1995 there were mass protests after American troops gang-raped a 12-year-old girl there. |
| "We just regret deeply that this happened," Ms Rice said of the recent case, in which 38-year-old Marine Staff Sgt Tyrone Hadnott is accused of raping a 14-year-old girl in his car. | "We just regret deeply that this happened," Ms Rice said of the recent case, in which 38-year-old Marine Staff Sgt Tyrone Hadnott is accused of raping a 14-year-old girl in his car. |
| "(It) is very hard to see something like this happen, and it's especially hard because it involves a young girl," Ms Rice said. | "(It) is very hard to see something like this happen, and it's especially hard because it involves a young girl," Ms Rice said. |
| The incident has raised concerns for the future of the US-Japan security alliance, and Ms Rice said she hoped there would not be lasting effect on the countries' relationship. | |
| "It's a long-standing and strong alliance," she said. | |
| "But our concern right now is to see that justice is done, to get to the bottom of it, and our concern is for the girl and for her family." | |
| Curfews | |
| US military commanders have already offered apologies over the alleged rape and other recent cases, including a report of a US marine who allegedly trespassed in a Japanese family's home while drunk. | |
| Military personnel and their families were put under strict curfews following the allegations. | |
| The senior US commander in Okinawa, Marine Corps Lt Gen Richard Zilmer, has said the curfew will be reassessed in early March. |