Japan to have jurisdiction over some U.S. military-linked inciden

NAHA, Japan - Photo taken Nov. 23, 2011, shows the site where a 24-year-old U.S. civilian military base employee caused a fatal traffic accident in January in Okinawa, Okinawa Prefecture, in southern Japan. Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba said Nov. 24 that Japan and the United States have agreed to partly change a bilateral arrangement concerning U.S. military personnel, allowing Japan to have jurisdiction over accidents and crimes involving civilian staff at U.S. bases under certain circumstances. The traffic accident is expected to be the first case subjected to the change. (Kyodo)