Japanese police have arrested a 27-year-old United States Air Force captain on suspicion of drunk driving in Okinawa.
The officer was arrested at about 3:09 am on Saturday while driving through Okinawa City, according to a spokesperson for the prefectural police.
Kyodo News reported that the captain was stationed at Kadena Air Base on the island. However, authorities have not confirmed whether he violated the curfew restrictions imposed by the US military.
The arrest comes amid growing concerns over crimes involving American military personnel in Japan, particularly in Okinawa, which hosts most of the approximately 54,000 US troops stationed in the country.
Last week, Japanese and American authorities agreed on additional measures to prevent misconduct by US service members following public outrage over a murder allegedly involving an American Marine.
Under the new restrictions, US military authorities extended curfew measures for lower-ranking personnel until December 7 and prohibited all service members from drinking alcohol outside their homes between midnight and 5 am.
The incidents have continued to strain relations between the two countries, despite their longstanding security partnership.
Officials at Kadena Air Base were not immediately available for comment.
