Asia-Pacific

US military vehicle involved in hit-and-run incident

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-03-17 17:09
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TOKYO - A US military vehicle was involved in a hit-and-run incident in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, on Wednesday, according to police.

The incident left a 2-year-old boy slightly injured with a cut to the head. A 45-year old man, the child's father, and his 10- year-old brother were also in the car.

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The vehicle involved in the accident was a US Navy Jeep, which was found crashed and empty with its engine running shortly after the incident.

A woman saw the incident and reported it to police, other people had already contacted authorities about a speeding vehicle before the accident occurred.

The accident took place near to the US Camp Nago military facility.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano called the incident "extremely regrettable," and said the government would discuss the matter with US authorities.

The incident is likely to lead to anger in Okinawa, where tens of thousands of US forces are based. Since coming to power, the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) has been analysing alternative options to a 2006 Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) signed between Washington and Tokyo. That agreement will see many US personnel remain in Okinawa, and transferred from the current Futenma facility to a new area away from the center of Ginowan city.

Okinawans have taken to the streets in recent months to protest against the US military presence in the prefecture. In November last year, a separate hit-and-run incident involving a member of the US military left an Okinawa citizen dead.