Two US Sailors Arrested in Japan

Suspected of raping a local woman

U.S. and Japanese officials moved swiftly to limit potential damage to their bilateral defense relations Wednesday after two U.S. Navy sailors were arrested on suspicion of raping a local woman.

Japanese police arrested the two sailors after a 27-year-old Okinawan woman reported being attacked early Tuesday in a parking lot near her home as she returned from work. She told police the assault lasted for 45 minutes, during which she suffered a minor neck injury.

U.S. Ambassador John Roos met with top Japanese officials and promised "full, complete and unequivocal cooperation" with Japanese authorities in their inquiry.