U.S. Military Partners with Okinawa to Combat Drunk Driving
Okinawa, Japan — Okinawa Prefecture and U.S. military leadership are once again joining forces in the ongoing effort to eradicate drunk driving across the island, launching a renewed campaign aimed at saving lives and strengthening community trust.
Okinawa Prefecture continues to record the highest rate of drunk-driving accidents in Japan for the fourth consecutive year, also leading the nation in alcohol-related traffic fatalities. In 2024, the prefecture reported its second increase in DUI arrests in five years, with 1,383 total arrests — 64 of which involved Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) personnel.
“These statistics directly affect force readiness, liberty risk, host-nation relations, and our ability to maneuver as a force in garrison,” Marine Corps Installations Pacific (MCIPAC) leaders said in a recent message. “Alcohol-related incidents degrade operational effectiveness and erode the trust of the Okinawan population.”
The initiative, part of the “Okinawa Prefecture Citizens’ Movement for the Eradication of Drunk Driving,” includes a series of joint lectures and awareness events with participation from the Okinawa Prefectural Government and MCIPAC.
Edwin Ventura, deputy safety director for the MCIPAC Installation Safety Office, emphasizes the cost of impaired driving on service members’ careers and lives.
“In my 29 years working for the Marine Corps, I have witnessed too many sad events associated with driving under the influence,” Ventura said. “Careers and lives that were ruined by one poor decision.”
A local advocate, Mr. Keisuke Miyagi, an official adviser for the eradication of drunk driving, shares his deeply personal experience. In 2005, after celebrating his 21st birthday in Chatan, Miyagi chose to ride his motorcycle while intoxicated. He crashed on a highway near Camp Foster after failing to navigate a curve, colliding with a roadside fence.
The accident left him permanently disabled — paralyzed on the left side of his body and unable to use either arm due to nerve damage. Now, he travels throughout Okinawa speaking to civilians and service members alike about the dangers of impaired driving.
“Don’t be like me!” Miyagi told the audience; his message was both a plea and a warning. “One bad choice can change everything.”
His experience, he says, serves as a reminder that one impulsive moment can change a life forever.
“One Marine, one bad choice, one moment can change a life forever,” campaign organizers emphasize.
Leaders across MCIPAC continue to remind Marines, Sailors, and civilian employees that they are personally responsible for their decisions 24/7 — on duty, off duty, and on liberty.
There is no scenario where drinking and driving is acceptable. “Operational excellence equals safe decisions equals combat power.”
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