Joan K. Mendel Elementary School serves students in pre-kindergarten to fifth grade at Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo. (Stars and Stripes)
YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan — A janitorial contractor has been barred from this U.S. airlift hub in western Tokyo after allegations of inappropriate interactions with students at an on-base elementary school, officials said Monday.
Leaders at Joan K. Mendel Elementary and Yokota’s 374th Airlift Wing said they were recently informed of the allegations involving a Japanese employee who worked on the school’s janitorial staff.
Because the allegations involve “inappropriate interactions with students,” Col. Richard McElhaney, the wing’s commander, immediately barred the contractor from the base, he and the school’s principal, Kathleen Smith, wrote in a letter to parents.
The Air Force Office of Special Investigations is working with Japanese police in nearby Fussa city to investigate the allegations, according to the letter.
“We want to reassure all parents that the safety of the students is non-negotiable,” McElhaney and Smith wrote.
Both leaders said they have taken steps to prevent further incidents and would continue working together to address the matter.
Spokespeople for the wing and Department of Defense Education Activity-Pacific did not immediately respond to phone and email requests for comment Monday afternoon.
Parents or students with information are encouraged to contact investigators at DSN 315-225-7910, while families needing support are advised to reach out to the Family Advocacy Program at DSN 315-225-3649, the Military and Family Readiness Center, or their chain of command, according to the letter.
