Court issues warrant for Marine accused of rape

A JAPANESE court issued an arrest warrant yesterday for a Marine accused of beating and raping a 19-year-old woman on the southern island of Okinawa, officials said.

The alleged attack has led the prime minister to call for stricter discipline among US military personnel in Japan.

A district court in Okinawa granted police permission yesterday to arrest the Marine, 21-year-old Lance Corporal Jose Torres, police spokesman Shinpachi Higashizato said. He declined to say when the arrest would be made.