US troops in Japan banned from drinking after fatal crash

A Japanese driver’s damaged vehicle is placed at a police station in Naha, Okinawa, southern Japan on Sunday, November 19, 2017. Police on the southern Japanese island of Okinawa are investigating a fatal traffic accident that occurred that Sunday when a truck driven by a United States Marine collided with the small truck at an intersection, killing the Japanese driver of the other vehicle. (Kazuki Sawada/Kyodo News via AP)

TOKYO — United States military personnel in Okinawa have been restricted to base and banned from drinking alcohol after a Marine was arrested over a crash that killed a Japanese man.

Media reports indicated that police on the southern Japanese island arrested the 21-year-old Marine on suspicion of negligent driving resulting in injury or death, and driving under the influence of alcohol.

Kazuhiko Miyagi of the Okinawa police confirmed media reports that a breath test indicated the Marine had an alcohol level that was three times the legal limit.

Japanese media cited witnesses as saying that the 61-year-old Japanese driver had the right of way when the crash occurred and the Marine may have driven through a red light.

Buying and drinking alcohol was banned for US military personnel all over Japan.   /kga