In his regular monthly press conference, Consul General Kevin Maher addressed many of the top stories of the past month. Concerning the release by Japanese authorities of a US service member who was accused of raping an Okinawan girl, the Consul General expressed his concern for the victim, stated the US still considers this to be an extremely regrettable incident, and noted that US military authorities would review the evidence and continue their own investigation and then decide how to proceed. He reaffirmed the US pledge to work with the Japanese government to seek ways to prevent the recurrence of such crimes. In regards to one suggestion, joint patrols by US Military and local Japanese Police forces, he acknowledged the concerns the Japanese police raised in regards to which side would have arrest authority and stated any ambiguities could be clarified in the Joint Committee process.

Regarding questions about the need for SOFA revision in the wake of the alleged rape case, Consul General Maher explained to reporters that the US and Japanese government continually discuss how to improve the operation of the SOFA, but that they do not intend to enter into discussion on revising the SOFA itself. With respect to this particular incident, he pointed out that the suspect was subject to Japanese law, had been arrested and investigated by Japanese police and had been held in a Japanese jail while awaiting the results of the Japanese investigation. Therefore there was no particular SOFA issue involved in this case.

In response to a question on the impact on the base realignment plan, the Consul General noted that the plan agreed in October 2005 at the Security Consultative Committee (the g2+2h), was made with the understanding that Okinawa bears a heavy burden from the presence of US bases. Therefore, one of the primary objectives of the realignment plan is to greatly reduce that burden. This realignment plan should be implemented as quickly as possible. The plan calls for relocating Futenma Marine Corps Air Station to Camp Schwab, the relocation of 8,000 Marines from Okinawa to Guam, and the consolidation/return of most military facilities now in the south of Okinawa.