US Marine dies during training in Japan’s Okinawa

TOKYO – A US Marine died after an incident during training in Japan’s Okinawa, a 3rd Marine Division spokesman told AFP on Nov 5.“The incident took place on Nov 3,” spokesman Sebastian Riveraaponte said, confirming the death of the Marine following a training incident at Camp Schwab on the southern island.The cause “is still under investigation”, he said, declining to disclose further details.The name of the Marine is expected to be withheld until 24 hours after the person’s family has been notified, he said.The United States has around 54,000 military personnel stationed in Japan, mostly on Okinawa.Although the US military presence is key in Japan’s defence policy, crimes committed by US personnel have long been a thorn in relations between the close security allies.In October, a US Marine stationed on Okinawa was arrested and indicted on suspicion of murdering a woman, triggering outrage in Japan. AFP