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Today in History: U.S. Soldier convicted of rape, murder of five-year-old

9/4/2026

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Summary

Story summary

On 4 September 1955, U.S. Army Sergeant Isaac J. Hurt raped and murdered five-year-old Yumiko Nagayama near Kadena Air Base in Okinawa. Hurt was tried and convicted of murder, rape and kidnapping. The brutal crime ignited widespread anti-American anger, sparking Okinawa’s first large-scale protests against the U.S. occupation and its military presence.

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Story summary

On 4 September 1955, U.S. Army Sergeant Isaac J. Hurt raped and murdered five-year-old Yumiko Nagayama near Kadena Air Base in Okinawa. Hurt was tried and convicted of murder, rape and kidnapping. The brutal crime ignited widespread anti-American anger, sparking Okinawa’s first large-scale protests against the U.S. occupation and its military presence.