Japanese police have arrested a 27-year-old United States Air Force captain on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol in Okinawa, further heightening concerns over misconduct involving American military personnel stationed in Japan.

The arrest took place on Saturday, November 14, 2026, just a week after Japanese and American authorities reached an agreement on measures to prevent criminal activities by US military personnel on the island.

The agreement followed public outrage over the alleged murder of a Japanese woman involving an American Marine, which renewed concerns about the conduct of US troops stationed in Okinawa.

Japan currently hosts approximately 54,000 American military personnel, with the majority based on the island of Okinawa.

Incidents involving US service members have continued to create tensions between the two countries, despite their longstanding security partnership.

In response to the concerns, American military authorities announced last week that they would extend a curfew for lower-ranking personnel until December 7.

The military also introduced a restriction prohibiting all service members from consuming alcohol outside their residences between midnight and 5 a.m.

According to a spokesperson for the Okinawa Prefectural Police, the 27-year-old officer was arrested after he was found driving along a road in Okinawa City at approximately 3:09 a.m. on Saturday.

However, the police spokesperson said it was not immediately established whether the captain had violated the curfew introduced by the US military.

The arrested officer was reportedly assigned to Kadena Air Base in Okinawa.

Officials at the military installation were not immediately available to comment on the incident.