US Military bans alcohol in Japan after Okinawa crash

All US service personnel on Okinawa have been restricted to base and to their residences with alcohol consumption prohibited after a US Marine killed a Okinawan man in an accident.

The Okinawan man was killed when his vehicle was struck by a truck being driven by a US Marine whose blood alcohol content at the time of the incident, according to CNN, was significantly above the legal limit.

In response to the incident, the US Forces command in Japan further announced that US service members on mainland Japan are prohibited from purchasing or consuming alcohol, on or off base.

In a similar incident last year, US Forces in Japan were prohibited from drinking for 11 days after a drunk officer drove on the wrong side of the road hitting two cars and injuring two people.

“Commanders across Japan will immediately lead mandatory training to address responsible alcohol use, risk management and acceptable behavior. All military members and U.S. government civilians in Japan are required to attend,” a US Forces Japan announcement read.