U.S. turns sailor over to Japan

RockLee · 7 Jan 2006

American arrested on charges over killing of woman

Saturday, January 7, 2006; Posted: 4:04 a.m. EST (09:04 GMT)

TOKYO, Japan (AP) -- A U.S. sailor was arrested Saturday on robbery-murder charges in the killing of a Japanese woman, a Japanese police official said.

The 21-year-old sailor was arrested after he was transferred to police from the U.S. Navy base in Yokosuka, about 30 miles southwest of Tokyo, a police official said on condition of anonymity, citing police branch policy.

The U.S. military previously had agreed to hand over the sailor, who police said admitted during questioning that he killed 56-year-old Yoshie Sato. Sato was found beaten and unconscious in Yokosuka on Tuesday, and later died of internal bleeding.

The arrest warrant on robbery-murder charges was obtained by the Kanagawa Prefectural office, according to a Kanagawa police official who spoke on conduction of anonymity according to police protocol.

The suspect was being held at the U.S. Naval base in Yokosuka about 30 miles southwest of Tokyo, according to the U.S. Naval Forces Japan.

The Kyodo News agency earlier Saturday reported that the Japanese government planned to ask the U.S. to transfer custody of the suspect to the police. Hiroyoshi Ichikawa, another Kanagawa police official, said he could not confirm the report.

If the U.S. agrees to the transfer, police are expected to arrest the serviceman as early as Saturday, it said. Under a U.S.-Japan agreement, the Navy would have to hand over the sailor if Japanese authorities requested it.

The Navy said it was cooperating with Japanese police, and had imposed a temporary curfew requiring Navy personnel to be back on base by midnight until Monday.

The case risks further inflaming local opposition to plans to build an American military airstrip in the southern island of Okinawa, and base a U.S. nuclear-powered warship at Yokosuka for the first time.

Reflecting the sensitivity of the case, the U.S. Embassy issued a statement Friday expressing regret for the crime.

"The U.S. military and the American people are deeply shocked and saddened by this event," U.S. Ambassador Thomas Schieffer said in a written statement.

In 1995, an uproar over the rape of a 12-year-old girl by three U.S. servicemen on Japan's southern island of Okinawa triggered massive protests and led to the relocation of an air base to a less densely populated part of the prefecture.

The rape case also resulted in an agreement with the U.S. military that it would hand over American suspects in serious crimes to Japanese authorities for pre-indictment investigation.

About 50,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Japan under a joint security pact, but Tokyo and Washington agreed in October to move 7,000 Marines from Okinawa to the U.S. territory of Guam, and shift within Japan some of the remaining troops.

Copyright 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Hmm, it seems at least once a year something happens in Japan where US personnel is involved :?
source:http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/asiapcf/01/07/japan.usmilitary.slaying.ap/index.html

Mike Cash · 7 Jan 2006

RockLee said:
Hmm, it seems at least once a year something happens in Japan where US personnel is involved :?

Given the very large number of US personnel and the fact that they are predominantly young males, I think most people would tend to expect (or even assume) that there would be many, many more cases.

There are also a large number of crimes involving Chinese and South American civilians....I would guess an even greater number than those involving US personnel. So why do American service members rate all the attention?

RockLee · 8 Jan 2006

mikecash said:
Given the very large number of US personnel and the fact that they are predominantly young males, I think most people would tend to expect (or even assume) that there would be many, many more cases.

Hmm I don't know Mike.Easy news?
I did not mean to say it's always the Americans, cause it's not.So I apologize if you feel offended.

There are also a large number of crimes involving Chinese and South American civilians....I would guess an even greater number than those involving US personnel. So why do American service members rate all the attention?

Yeh, I've been following some cases these last months.Really gives foreigners a bad name.

Mike Cash · 8 Jan 2006

I'm not offended. I just feel that these sorts of things, due to political reasons, receive attention far out of proportion to what is warranted.

RockLee · 8 Jan 2006

mikecash said:
I'm not offended. I just feel that these sorts of things, due to political reasons, receive attention far out of proportion to what is warranted.

That's true.However, I think whenever there are foreigners involved, esp. Americans it's easy for the Japanese to point a finger and not having their own people to blame.Recently a lot of crimes are commited by Japanese, and to keep the attention of that Americans are an easy target.

pipokun · 8 Jan 2006

RockLee said:
That's true.However, I think whenever there are foreigners involved, esp. Americans it's easy for the Japanese to point a finger and not having their own people to blame.Recently a lot of crimes are commited by Japanese, and to keep the attention of that Americans are an easy target.

Never heard of it before.

Maciamo · 8 Jan 2006

pipokun said:
Never heard of it before.

The media are not going to announce it, but it's fairly obvious. According to the Japanese Police, Westerners in Japan commit less than 0.1% of all crimes (see article, 370,877 arrests of Japanese nationals for crimes, against 442 for all Europeans, North Americans and Oceanians combined) in Japan, but these crimes receive maybe 5 to 10% of the media coverage (in any case a disproportionate attention).

pipokun · 8 Jan 2006

Maciamo said:
The media are not going to announce it, but it's fairly obvious. According to the Japanese Police, Westerners in Japan commit less than 0.1% of all crimes (see article, 370,877 arrests of Japanese nationals for crimes, against 442 for all Europeans, North Americans and Oceanians combined) in Japan, but these crimes receive maybe 5 to 10% of the media coverage (in any case a disproportionate attention).

OK, then how many Japanese do you think live here?
And nothing "and to keep the attention of that Americans are an easy target." is there, isn't it?

RockLee · 9 Jan 2006

The Japanese maybe don't like to admit, but Japan is no longer the safest country it was before. Rape,murder,theft are common things now even in Japan.
To divert attention to Japan's own problems it's easy to blame foreigners don't you think ?

GoldCoinLover · 9 Jan 2006

Wow,w hat a bummer. This will make japanese have more reasons to have gaikokujins. FIrst thing I thought when I read it. How you doing, anyway, maciamo? (Never answered my PM)

MajideSaiaku · 9 Jan 2006

True, foreigners commit less crimes then the japanese, but to be fair, if an american soldier was stationed in my home country near my city and offed an elderly woman, i wouldnt be chuffed either.

Lets not pretend, nobody wants some other countries army stationed in their backyard, it feels too much like an occupation.

How many foreign military bases are in the united states do tell?.

How many americans would gladly accept say, a british or chinese military base near their town/city?.

Its blown out of preportion because the japanese dont want american military in japan anymore then americans would want chinese or russian bases in their own country.

As for the media, well, thats the media isnt it?, thats anothert issue to tackle for another time.
Ive never got so much as a second glance from a police officer here.

Mike Cash · 9 Jan 2006

nurizeko said:
Lets not pretend, nobody wants some other countries army stationed in their backyard, it feels too much like an occupation.

Please accept my apologies for America "occupying" your isles in the buildup to June 6, 1944. Likewise for the indignity of Lend-Lease, which was too much like charity.

How many foreign military bases are in the united states do tell?

The same number as the number of nations who have sucessfully invaded and militarily defeated the United States (it is customary to capitalize the names of nations).

Its blown out of proportion because the japanese dont want american military in japan anymore then americans would want chinese or russian bases in their own country.

The democratically elected representatives of the Japanese people have seen fit to continue the arrangement, which they are free to terminate, so it seems a bit of an overly broad statement to say that "the Japanese" don't want them.

It's more a case of NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) than NIMC (Not In My Country).

Brooker · 9 Jan 2006

Boy, that's a PR nightmare for an already shakey situation.

MajideSaiaku · 9 Jan 2006

Mike, i seem to have possibly offended you with plain truth, its not the first time someone has acheived this but i am dissapointed.

From stories i remember, british folk, especially blokes and the older lot, WERENT very chuffed with american soldiers in england durring the d-day build-up, and that was when we were fighting against germany.

What im getting at, if you will see fit to switch off your offended switch, is that there will always be people who dont appriciate the wider value of a military base full of soldiers, who obtain leave into the native enviroment.

To them its simply a base full of young men, who nightly go out into their world and enviroment, seduce their daughters, and may cause public disorder or worse.

As i stated, its a simple fact people dont want military bases in theor backyards.

And lets not be so generalizing of thinking that the japanese government speaks for all the japanese.

By that reasoning president bush and prime minister tony blair represent the entire opinions and interests of all the british and american peoples, but i think you know that to be false.

True, it is usual for an army that defeats a country to set up camp, but it still doesnt change the irrefutable fact some people dont appriciate a military base nearby, especially if their town centre is the destination for bus loads of soldiers looking for drink.

Its okay, i forgive you, your not the first person to find unjustifiable offense where there is simply a plain truth.

The right or wrongs, the justices or injustices of military bases in japan, why and how they came to be there, thats not my decision concern, or care.

But, i WAS pointing out that some japanese, if not alot, at the least, would rather see the military bases gone if they could.

I was also pointing out the simple truth that to support my reasoning behind why some japanese dont want foreign military bases on their soil, that many americans would not tolerate the idea of a foreign powers military assets on american soil, your apparent horror at the mere prospect of it causing you to feel offense backs this up.

Yes, countries can accept, and even feel better at having american military on their soil, but, at the local level, there will always be people who would prefer they were not there.

I apologise if i am mistaken, i assumed by the general tone of your response that you held a level of hostility towards my comments, with little to no basis, and if i was wrong, i am sorry.

And though it is off-topic and irrelivent, i will apologise for not capitalizing the first letters in countries names.

Thankyou for your response mike, as always, i appriciate your input.

Mike Cash · 9 Jan 2006

The Japanese electorate has it entirely in their power to evict the Americans if they wish. That they have not done so indicates that it is not the desire of a sufficient portion of the electorate. It is the desire of a small minority.

I am not offended, just exasperated with this same crap over and over, primarily from Europeans. I resent your characterizations of what the American military presence represents to the local populace around the bases, a characterization once again presented in overly broad terms and with no basis in fact other than your own conjecture. Remind me again....just what is your experience with living in Japanese towns surrounding American military bases?

pipokun · 9 Jan 2006

That's true.However, I think whenever there are foreigners involved, esp. Americans it's easy for the Japanese to point a finger and not having their own people to blame.Recently a lot of crimes are commited by Japanese, and to keep the attention of that Americans are an easy target.

You didn't answer anything about the relation, the crime and the Americans stuff, I mean "to keep the attention of that Americans are an easy target" above.
You're free to interpret matters based on your image and knowledge, but it leads to a wrong conclusion when your profiling is wrong.

RockLee said:
The Japanese maybe don't like to admit, but Japan is no longer the safest country it was before. Rape,murder,theft are common things now even in Japan.
...

So your assumption is based upon your image about the Japanese who don't like to admit Japan is no longer the safest country it was before, right?
It is just wrong.

Carlson · 9 Jan 2006

well i feel bad being a US military member. more and more japanese will not trust us/me because of things like this. or stuff that most of the young military guys do. Ive done some stupid things but never anything on this level.

i wonder if it would of got as big if it was just some american visiting rather then a US soldier?

Mike Cash · 9 Jan 2006

Carlson said:
i wonder if it would of got as big if it was just some american visiting rather then a US soldier?

Very unlikely, in my opinion. People with an agenda take the actions of an individual and use it as convenient political ammunition.

My wife mentioned to me a case just the other day in which a service member was being turned over to the Japanese authorities and the conjecture was that it was because the person is stationed aboard the USS Kitty Hawk, a nuclear powered vessel. She said that some people who are otherwise alright with the ongoing military presence don't particularly like having a nuclear powered ship in their backyard and this was one way to appease them. My thoughts were that I'd hate to know I was charged with a crime and that a major factor in the outcome of my case was what kind of engine a ship has.

RockLee · 9 Jan 2006

pipokun said:
You didn't answer anything about the relation, the crime and the Americans stuff, I mean "to keep the attention of that, Americans are an easy target" above.
You're free to interpret matters based on your image and knowledge, but it leads to a wrong conclusion when your profiling is wrong.

Do you understand now that I put a comma ?In other words, the keep the attention of their own problems, lately the Japanese are having foreigners as an easy target to blame while they have their own problems,which they rather not talk so much about.I can refer you to the Japanese textbooks which kind of are not 100% true to history.

So your assumption is based upon your image about the Japanese who don't like to admit Japan is no longer the safest country it was before, right?
It is just wrong.

No it's based on facts.

pipokun · 9 Jan 2006

RockLee said:
Do you understand now that I put a comma ?In other words, the keep the attention of their own problems, lately the Japanese are having foreigners as an easy target to blame while they have their own problems,which they rather not talk so much about.I can refer you to the Japanese textbooks which kind of are not 100% true to history.
No it's based on facts.

Then how about changing the Japanese into foreigners in your sentence?

Crimes are crimes which should be punished after (if) convicted, nothing more, nothing less. However it is a bit wrong to add different flavors into them.

Carlson · 9 Jan 2006

so lesson learned? you have a nuke for an engine you get away with crime?...

sorry...

RockLee · 9 Jan 2006

pipokun said:
Then how about changing the Japanese into foreigners in your sentence?
Crimes are crimes which should be punished after (if) convicted, nothing more, nothing less. However it is a bit wrong to add different flavors into them.

Now, I didn't say foreigners are not to blame ;-) There are foreigners who commit crimes, as the article shows.But that's not the point I'm talking about.Don't think I'm trying to defend foreigners because I know there are foreign people who are to blame for crimes in Japan.BUT, they are a minority unlike the crimes commited by Japanese themselves inside Japan and IMHO get less news coverage than in this case Americans.

Elizabeth · 9 Jan 2006

Maciamo said:
The media are not going to announce it, but it's fairly obvious. According to the Japanese Police, Westerners in Japan commit less than 0.1% of all crimes (see article, 370,877 arrests of Japanese nationals for crimes, against 442 for all Europeans, North Americans and Oceanians combined) in Japan, but these crimes receive maybe 5 to 10% of the media coverage (in any case a disproportionate attention).

And if a Japanese robs and murders an American in the US it is going to
get disproportionate attention than a standard conventional white-on-white crime. That's the way the media operates probably everywhere, although I think a lot of the older not so subtle racism in black on white crime coverage has been cleaned up in recent years. In Japan it isn't only Americans that get the attention of course, the ATM scams involving South Koreans was a big story as well as the Peruvian child killer, although it does look like US military does garner a larger share of the focus considering the sensitivity of the political issue.

pipokun · 9 Jan 2006

RockLee said:
Now, I didn't say foreigners are not to blame ;-) There are foreigners who commit crimes, as the article shows.But that's not the point I'm talking about.Don't think I'm trying to defend foreigners because I know there are foreign people who are to blame for crimes in Japan.BUT, they are a minority unlike the crimes commited by Japanese themselves inside Japan and IMHO get less news coverage than in this case Americans.

Crimes are crimes no matter who you are or what backgrounds you have.
And it is you that add a bit different flavor here.

"get less news coverage than in this case Americans"

Then which media do you refer to? When you need news in CNN, you should ask them for it.

Hayato · 9 Jan 2006

As long as another "Night Stalker" doesn't exist in Japan... I am fine, but I think ... that sailor is a retard for committing burglary... because they supposed to have money. It's not like he has to pay for rent and many bills. He's active duty.

U.S. turns sailor over to Japan

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