U.S. soldier in Japan sent to prosecutors over alleged sexual assault

TOKYO, May 23 (Xinhua) -- A U.S. Army soldier stationed in the southernmost Japanese prefecture of Okinawa has been referred to prosecutors on suspicion of sexually assaulting an adult female acquaintance and causing injury, local media reported Saturday.

Police in Okinawa notified the prefectural government on Friday that the soldier, who is in his 20s, was referred to prosecutors the same day on charges including nonconsensual sexual intercourse resulting in injury, public broadcaster NHK reported.

The man is suspected of sexually assaulting the acquaintance outdoors on the main island of Okinawa and subsequently using violence to inflict injuries requiring several weeks to heal, the report said.

The soldier is also suspected of failing to report a property-damage traffic accident after allegedly fleeing the scene by car to the military base following the incident, it added.

Authorities have not disclosed whether the suspect has admitted to the charges.

Okinawa Prefecture hosts around 70 percent of U.S. military facilities in Japan. For a long time, problems such as illegal and criminal activities, traffic accidents, and noise pollution involving U.S. military personnel have been a major nuisance to residents.