USN Officer sentenced to 3yrs jail time in Japan

[DedicatedShooter]

I searched for a similar thread but didn't see one posted, so apologies if this is a double-tap.

I'm still AD, so my commentary won't be as in-depth as a private conversation, but 3 years ago I came back stateside after serving in Japan for 4 years. While over there, this was definitely a fear of mine...some traffic accident or accidental situation being my fault (or my family's) and finding one of us staring at a prison sentence in a Japanese jail.

SOFA protections only go so far and if you're especially heinous and commit murder/rape/etc. against a Japanese national, you're almost guaranteed to receive a Japanese prison sentence. I can kind of understand it in that case. Kind of. In this officer's case though, it's making me question a whole bunch of things that I shouldn't be questioning...

NY Post Article

 

[Arc Light]

I read this story a couple of weeks ago and thought it was pure BS what the Japanese government is doing. This was clearly an automobile accident, not an intentional act. But there seems to be some animosity towards our military personnel in Japan. Also remember reading that their is a blatant conflict of interest in that one of the prosecutors is somehow related to one of the victims.

Regardless, this just reaffirms my belief that we need to get our military out of these countries. We should not be policing the world in 2022. Japan has plenty of money to fund their own defense. If they can't get over WWII and don't want to, that's their fucking problem.

 

[wade2big]

Far worse things than this have been happening that should have already had you questioning a whole bunch of things.

 

[diverdon]

Joe Biden is selling the world to China for personal enrichment. Yet if someday my prayers are answered and we have a president who will stand up to them and to the plague they release to retaliate, then war with China is coming. Love or hate the Japs they are warriors. It will be good to have them on our side.

Yet we should keep some pressure on for this guy. Perhaps even as much as Joe Biden is trying to apply to get that dyke pothead outta Russia.

 

[Keeper22]

Yeah but he is only one of our Military members not like he is a pot carrying, anthem kneeling bull dyke. The politicians have their priorities so.... screwed up.

 

[spamassassin]

Japanese law, especially surrounding vehicle crash induced damages is weird. I heard about one case, which I don't have any link to nor a desire to really look it up, where a Japanese citizen had run his car up on a sidewalk and killed a couple people. He was allowed to use the fact that he was blind drunk at the time as a plea in mitigation of the charges.

 

[buffalowinter]

The Status of Forces Agreement clearly applies and protects this soldier. He was thrown to the side by his politically correct limp wristed "Superiors". In my day, at the first sign that the host Government wanted to take jurisdiction, he would have been shipped state side. I know, been there, done that, didn't want the T-shirt.

 

[W54/XM-388]

The Japanese Justice system is NOT at all like our justice system.
It's very arbitrary and relies on beating confessions out of suspects.
The police do not appreciate being wrong and if they think it's you, they and the judge will pretty much make sure it's you no matter what.

Folks in the USA often don't realize how completely bizzarro world other countries law systems are and how much they love being evil to foreigners.
For example don't go to Malta, just don't.

Fall asleep in the back of a taxi and the driver crashes the taxi and they throw you in jail for being at fault.
And the worst part is you didn't even know there was a court case, or a trial until somebody shows up with some extradition paperwork saying they had a trial without you and all decided you were guilty.

 

[wade2big]

The Status of Forces Agreement clearly applies and protects this soldier. He was thrown to the side by his politically correct limp wristed "Superiors". In my day, at the first sign that the host Government wanted to take jurisdiction, he would have been shipped state side. I know, been there, done that, didn't want the T-shirt.

A government that sends soldiers to die in unnecessary wars that have nothing to do with protecting America or Americans while his homeland is being invaded and would force shots that maim and kill as a condition of employment probably doesn’t give two shits about the individual soldier no matter what propaganda they use to trick people into foolishly believing otherwise. Food for thought.

 

[Nik H]

The Japanese Justice system is NOT at all like our justice system.
It's very arbitrary and relies on beating confessions out of suspects.
The police do not appreciate being wrong and if they think it's you, they and the judge will pretty much make sure it's you no matter what.

Folks in the USA often don't realize how completely bizzarro world other countries law systems are and how much they love being evil to foreigners.
For example don't go to Malta, just don't.

Fall asleep in the back of a taxi and the driver crashes the taxi and they throw you in jail for being at fault.
And the worst part is you didn't even know there was a court case, or a trial until somebody shows up with some extradition paperwork saying they had a trial without you and all decided you were guilty.

I found out that when you are on death row, there is no date of execution. They just walk in and say IT'S TIME and hang you. That could have advantages

 

[muzzleloader]

I think Japan has like a 99.9%conviction rate and very high confession rate. Likely part cultural and part the harshness of their legal system.

 

[W54/XM-388]

I think Japan has like a 99.9%conviction rate and very high confession rate. Likely part cultural and part the harshness of their legal system.

Let's just say the police don't need to have facts to prove the case if they can beat / torture / coerce a confession out of you.
As I mentioned, the judges in Japan go out of their way to help make sure whoever the police arrested, get convicted.
They are not above threatening your family if you don't confess the way they want you to.

 

[wvfarrier]

Ill be the first to say it.....shit wouldnt fly if Trump was still in office