NAHA —

A metal object found in the front license plate of a car in the town of Kin, Okinawa Prefecture, ‘‘through visual inspection only, appears to be a steel core penetrator of a .50-caliber bullet,’’ the U.S. Marine Corps said Friday in a statement. ‘‘There is no clear evidence showing any connection between this piece and any recent Marine Corps training activity,’’ the statement added, however.
   
Marine Corps ordnance experts viewed the piece of metal Wednesday at the Okinawa prefectural police headquarters, it said. The Marine Corps will continue cooperating with the Okinawa police and request exchange of information with local authorities to look into ‘‘any potential connection with the U.S. military,’’ it said. A resident of the town reported to the police last Saturday about the metal object stuck in the front license plate of his car parked at his home near Camp Hansen.  His grandmother told police she heard a loud sound when she was behind the car on the afternoon of Dec 10, according to police.

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2 Comments

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  Mookoo at 10:06 AM JST - 20th December

  50 cal.?! That's something the Marines use, but not something the public has, not even the Japanese mafia. The 0.1% chance that it was somebody other than the US Mil. just flew out the window.

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  YuriOtani at 10:53 AM JST - 20th December

  I would not give it a snowballs change in Okinawa. When do Japanese have access to this type bullet? The Ground Self Defense Force uses a different type of round. Would seem that the US Marines had a November Delta or negligent discharge. The Marines need to keep the bloody thing on safe and their fingers off of the trigger until ready to discharge their weapon! I suspect there was more than a single round, 3 would seem a likely number that were sent off base. Kadena base and PAC 3 missiles need to be turned over to our Self Defense Force. Japan can defend itself without tough young Americans making themselves at home at our expense. I know the pro American people are going to have a fit but how would you like 100,000 Japanese military stationed in Guam or better yet Hawaii?

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