Child Sexual Abuse Cases at Okinawa, Japan: 2017–2018 vs. 2019–2022
Okinawa, Japan had 17 courts-martial charging Article 120b (child sexual abuse) from 2019–2022. Every one of the 17 ended in a conviction with confinement, and the median confinement was 4 years, compared with 3 years in all Navy and Marine Corps Article 120b cases.
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Short answer: Okinawa, Japan had 17 courts-martial charging Article 120b (child sexual abuse) from 2019–2022. Every one of the 17 ended in a conviction with confinement, and the median confinement was 4 years, compared with 3 years in all Navy and Marine Corps Article 120b cases. A punitive discharge followed 100% of enlisted convictions, compared with 98% service-wide.
Longer Confinement Than the Service Median
All 17 cases ended in a conviction on at least one charge, and all 17 sentences included confinement (100%). The median confinement was 4 years. In all Navy and Marine Corps Article 120b cases in 2019–2022, the median was 3 years.
Among the sentences at Okinawa, a quarter were 8 years or longer. These are adjudged sentences, set at trial before any plea-agreement cap, clemency, or appeal. Each sentence covers every charge in the case, not only the Article 120b charge.
Dishonorable Discharges in Almost Every Case
A punitive discharge is a bad-conduct discharge or a dishonorable discharge for enlisted members. Every convicted enlisted member here received one (100%): 16 dishonorable discharges and 1 bad-conduct discharge. Across all Navy and Marine Corps Article 120b cases in 2019–2022, the share was 98%.
Every case was tried at a general court-martial (100%). A general court-martial is the only level that can impose a dishonorable discharge or confinement longer than one year.
2017–2018 Compared With 2019–2022
The earlier period had 19 cases over 2 years, about 10 a year. The later period had about 4 a year, counting full years only. By year, there were 4 cases in 2019, 6 in 2020, 4 in 2021, and 3 in 2022.
The median confinement was 2.5 years in 2017–2018 and 4 years in 2019–2022. Punitive discharges for convicted enlisted members were 100% in both periods. General courts-martial were also 100% in both. With fewer than 20 cases in each period, a few cases can move these figures, so they show a direction only.
| 2017–2018 | 2019–2022 | |
|---|---|---|
| Cases | 19 | 17 |
| Contested (of pleas recorded) | 0 of 3 | 1 of 7 |
| Convictions with confinement | 100% | 100% |
| Median confinement | 2.5 years | 4 years |
| Punitive discharge (enlisted) | 100% | 100% |
| General courts-martial | 100% | 100% |
Charges Filed Alongside Article 120b
Of the 17 cases, 15 charged at least one other article. Article 120 (sexual assault) and Article 80 (attempt) were each charged in 8 cases. Article 81 (conspiracy) appeared in 6, and Article 134 (general article) and Article 128 (assault) in 5 each.
Because the sentence covers the whole case, the confinement figures above reflect these other charges as well.
Rank of the Accused
Junior enlisted members (E-1 to E-4) made up 59% of the accused, NCOs 41%, and officers 0%. In all Navy and Marine Corps Article 120b cases in 2019–2022, junior enlisted members were 50% of the accused.
These 17 cases were 20% of the 84 courts-martial at Okinawa in 2019–2022.
Pleas Are Mostly Missing
Navy and Marine Corps records before December 2020 often leave out the plea. Only 7 of the 2019–2022 cases list one, and 1 of those 7 was contested. A case is contested when the accused pleads not guilty to at least one charge. The earlier period lists a plea for 3 cases, and 0 of 3 were contested. These counts are too small to show a pattern.
What the Records Do Not Show
The records cover courts-martial only, not nonjudicial punishment or administrative separations. They give trial dates, not offense dates. They do not describe the evidence or the plea terms.
For what the offense covers and how it is defended, see Article 120b on the law firm's website. Dates and sources for the law changes: UCMJ change timeline.
How We Counted
Courts-martial tried at Okinawa, Japan that charged Article 120b (found guilty, not guilty, or both): 2017–2018 (19) and 2019–2022 (17). Comparisons use every Navy and Marine Corps case charging Article 120b in 2019–2022.
Source: public court-martial records (Article 140a, UCMJ) in Military Trial Results, data updated October 24, 2026. Definitions, sources, and known gaps: how this data was built. Errors: content@bodiesburied.com.
Related Analysis
- Okinawa, Japan: Court-Martial Data and Trends (hub)
- Article 120b (Rape and Sexual Assault of a Child): Court-Martial Data and Trends (hub)
- By Installation (hub)
- Inside 70 Courts-Martial at Okinawa, Japan, 2017–2018 (the whole docket)
- Okinawa, Japan, 2019–2023: Charges, Verdicts, and Sentences in 100 Cases (the whole docket)
- Inside 50 Courts-Martial at Okinawa, Japan, 2024–2026 (the whole docket)
- Article 120b at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina Before and After 2019 (same offense, another installation)
- Did Child Sexual Abuse Cases at San Diego, California Change After 2024? (same offense, another installation)
- Fewer or More? Child Sexual Abuse Charges at Navy-Marine Corps Courts-Martial, 2017–2025
- Article 120b explained on the law firm's website
- Search every case in Military Trial Results (members)
Military Judges Who Presided Over Article 120b Cases at Okinawa, Japan, 2019–2022
Names and links only. Each judge's record of pleas, findings, and sentences is on their Know Your Judge page, part of the Court-Martial Characters membership.
Compare: federal court. Child Sexual Abuse and Enticement: Federal Cases vs. Article 120b Courts-Martial
About the author. Jocelyn C. Stewart is a retired Army JAG with more than 24 years of trying courts-martial and more than 200 jury trials. She hosts Where All The Bodies Are Buried and runs the Law Office of Jocelyn C. Stewart. This analysis is for education and information only. It is not legal advice, and every case is different.