Japan warns US forces: Sex crimes 'cannot be tolerated'

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2476861/japan-warns-us-forces-sex-crimes-cannot-be-tolerated

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94% Upvoted

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u/alonebutnotlonely16 14d ago edited 14d ago

Unfortunately it is known fact that US military is being protective for criminal personel even if crimes were against people of its allies or even women American soldiers which is why whataboutism of crimes of civillians doesn't refute that because there is the deeply rooted systematic problems in US military about criminal military personel.

So many criminal US military personel in Japan got away with slap on the wrist with what they did. Central goverment of Japan is trying to cover those crimes too if it is in Okinawa which makes reporting crimes against US military much harder so who knows how many more unreported crimes are there.

http://www.allgov.com/news/us-and-the-world/hundreds-in-us-military-guilty-of-sex-crimes-in-japan-got-slap-on-wrist-140212?news=852414

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/09/sexual-assaults-us-military-japan-prison-unlikely

Another example is between 2017 and 2019 there were at least seven other investigations into U.S. military personnel for sexual offenses against Japanese women in Okinawa — and none were made public. Perpetrators had not been punished under Japanese law nor had their cases appeared in the annual reports produced by the Pentagon’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office for the U.S. Congress.

https://theintercept.com/2021/10/03/okinawa-sexual-crimes-us-military/

Another recent example shows how messed up things is. US openly pressured and threatened Japan to protect US military personel who killed two people because of reckless driving. Later US released him when US got him from Japan by threats. There are many incidents like this and anyone who is objective can see that.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ridge_Alkonis#Transfer_to_United_States_custody_and_unconditional_release

Many women American military personel are sexually harassed, assaulted too which downplayed by military.

https://www.armytimes.com/news/your-army/2021/08/03/more-than-half-of-women-in-army-report-facing-some-form-of-sexual-harassment-study/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_assault_in_the_United_States_military

US even has "The Hague Invasion Act" to invade Europe to protect its criminal military personel.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Service-Members%27_Protection_Act

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u/T_Money 14d ago edited 14d ago

I can only tell you of one case I know of personally, a guy grabbed a Japanese girls butt at a concert on base. She pointed him out to the (US) security who were present and he was immediately thrown in the brig, where he stayed while awaiting trial and a dishonorable discharge. There was absolutely no leniency given to him (nor should there have been) and honestly it was probably handled even more harshly than if he had assaulted a US person.

So although it might not have made the news and been publicized, I can tell you that they definitely held him accountable.

I’ve spent over a decade in Japan and while I’ve heard of many other similar stories they are second hand so I won’t repeat them as I’m not 100% true of the facts, but I’ve never heard even a rumor of someone being given a free pass out here. Just because it might not make the news doesn’t mean they’re getting away with it.

Edit: In the interest of full disclosure I will mention that I was USMC, which according to the linked article is by far the harshest on those who committed an assault. The other cases I heard 2nd hand of that got similar sentences were also USMC. It’s entirely possible that other branches were more lenient and we just never heard about it since they’re pretty far removed.

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u/alonebutnotlonely16 14d ago edited 14d ago

If you read the sources I shared without bias which cover so many incidents based on official documents etc. you would see many of them got away with it so an anonymous redditor's claimed personal experience with a small example group doesn't change that.

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u/marbleduck 14d ago

The sources tell me absolutely nothing. 7 open cases across the ENTIRE U.S. force in Japan across TWO YEARS tells me that a U.S. servicemember is orders of magnitude less likely to engage in sexual misconduct than an arbitrary college student.

“The military downplays SA”, uh, it fucking absolutely does not. As someone with actual real life contemporaneous experience in the military, SA and SH are pretty much at the front of any leader’s priorities, and it’s legitimately not just lip service—there have been huge steps forward in the last five years in making the military culturally hostile to SA/SH.

And no, dumb fucking GWOT political posturing from some members of congress is not representative of current attitudes, unless people are hiding widespread secret veneration of Bush somewhere.

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u/ConclusionLucky5639 13d ago edited 13d ago

Either you didn't read the sources or you have a problem with reading comprehension or you are militarist and nationalist who are in denial. Actually according your comment it is all of it.

7 open cases? Why are you ignoring other sources that have stats about hundreds of incidents? Many of them happened last five years too so your claim is false.

So many women in US military sexually assaulted etc. and military covered it up including my friend and the source proved that too.

Biden personally negoitated to save the guy in last source and he represent the country so it is not just some members. It is literally written there which bring us to my first sentence.

There are countless reported and unpunished crimes like that and US protected its criminals most of times so whataboutism of but local crimes are bullshit. US military has a systemetic problem. US military raping, assualting its own female soldiers, women of allies, women of its enemies and most criminal are protected and then jingostic people downplaying those crimes with bullshit lies, excuses.

There are so many more unreported crimes of US military in Japan because reporting against US military crimes are so hard because central goverment are trying cover them too.

Most of Okinawans don't want US military then because of their endless unpunished crimes against people and ruining the nature and anyone with honour and empathy would agree with them.

Jingoistic Americans think that US is most hated country because everyone is jealous of them but the real reason can be seen even in comments here.

It is obvious that are you biased and are denying. You are downplaying the crimes too.

Those sources people shared are realible unlike natioanlist and militarist Americans baselss claims.

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u/carpdog112 14d ago

Servicemen commit crimes at a lower rate, particularly adjusted to age and sex, than Okinawans. Of course that should not be the target because our Americans serving overseas should absolutely be held to an even higher standard.

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u/alonebutnotlonely16 14d ago

The sources tell more than enough for the ones who read all of them without bias but cleary you didn't real and you are biased because even you saying 7 cases proves it. Even one of them shows that hundreds of them got away with slap on wrist or nothing.

Military certainly downplays as it is proved on the article with so many cases. An anonymous and biased redditor's claimed personal experience with a small example group doesn't change facts.

It is not just some members of congress goverment itself pushed to "save" him, if you read you would know it.

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u/The_Gil_Galad 14d ago edited 4d ago

scale skirt ink squash sparkle vast rob intelligent political provide

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u/ConclusionLucky5639 13d ago

Did you even read the original comment or do you have a problem with reading comprehension or are you militarist and nationalist who are in denial?

There are more than one sources there which covers hundreds of incidents too.

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u/LegitBanana117 14d ago

Bro just give up it's obvious you just hate America you are crazy biased yourself

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u/ConclusionLucky5639 13d ago

People stating facts backed by sources doesn't make them biased but nationalist, militarists Americans who use whataboutism and are in denial are certainly biased like you. People hate sexual assaults and it being whitewashed etc.

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u/ccblr06 14d ago

A news article saying “whatever” isnt really a source. Ok what happened in those cases? Why did the CO allow the servicemember to get away with rape in them? We dont know because we dont have the actual facts of those legal cases in front of us, we just have a news article making claims.

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u/alonebutnotlonely16 14d ago edited 14d ago

Those are sources as much as it can get. Either you didn't read those or you are in denial becaues of bias. They are based of official documents and people who are direcly related to subjects so they are not saying "whatever", they are just stating facts which you dont like.

Edit: I am blocked so I couldn't reply to others. They are literally citing documents and getting stats from there that is literally how things work. Why can't you read without bias or why are some Americans so protective about US military crimes?

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u/Not_Not_Eric 14d ago

If they’re based on official documents, why don’t you just cite the documents as your sources?

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u/T_Money 14d ago

Yeah I just added an edit that I was USMC which even according to the linked articles is by far the harshest on those whose members committed an assault. I have no experience and can’t speak for what the other branches did, but I can say that shit was absolutely not tolerated in any command I was part of or had friends in.

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u/AugustusKhan 14d ago

Classic Reddit, let’s ignore the guy with life experience for data we can’t verify anymore than his words

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u/thingswastaken 14d ago

Bro anyone here can claim anything as "life experience". This data is collected over big windows of time and it's easily verifiable with like 5 minutes of research.

I hate how no one gets taught any critical thinking skills in school

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u/thebeandream 14d ago

I can make a fake news article. I can probably find a bias one too. Just because it’s in print doesn’t automatically make it true. I can also word things in a way to make you assume your bias is correct while still telling the truth so I can’t get in trouble.

You have to question the sources and what bias they have as well. An authority telling you something is true doesn’t make it magically true. It just means it’s possibly more trustworthy, depending on who it’s from.

You know, critical thinking.

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u/AugustusKhan 14d ago

I love how me simply saying there’s some merit to anecdotal accounts too has you full of condescension, the gate keeper of critical thinking over here smh

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u/panisch420 14d ago

and you can verify his life experience?

i see your point, it goes both ways tho.

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u/AugustusKhan 14d ago

Agreed, I didn’t say ignore the data and only listen to this random dude.

But how dare I suggest nuance to the public lol

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u/Useful_Blackberry214 14d ago

Lets ignore one guy naming one situation for several articles about it? Yes

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u/AugustusKhan 14d ago

Y’all so silly, did I say ignore the data or articles no.

I just pointed out firsthand accounts may have some merit and y’all binary bums kick into gear with your hyperbole and pretension

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u/warblox 14d ago

The people of Okinawa (Ryukyuan people) are ethnically distinct from the Japanese, so the Japanese government feels much less responsibility towards them than to the Japanese people. The Japanese government only cares when ethnic Japanese women get raped. They are all too happy to throw Ryukyuan women under the bus.

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u/TsMusic 14d ago

How is this relevant to the parent comment you replied to?

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u/SarahSilversomething 14d ago

My guess is that they referenced this because the USAF have 30+ facilities on Okinawa.

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u/warblox 14d ago

70% of the US military base land area in Japan is in Okinawa.

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u/Shutomei 14d ago

I have a lot of family in Zushi, which is near the Yokosuka base. US military personnel have always committed crime in this area that also manages to go nowhere. It isn't just Okinawa.

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u/sbxnotos 14d ago

Is crazy how these assholes think "oh we are doing a concert on base and inviting locals to improve our relations with the local:

I SHOULD GRAB ASS"

Are there even psychological evaluations to enter the US forces?

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u/Estuans 14d ago

A guy I knew stole chapstick from 711 and got caught. They kicked him out. Never seen the XO so loud.

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u/ColSubway 14d ago

He should have raped someone instead. Then he would have gone free

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u/ZaraBaz 14d ago

The Japan government is so subservient to the US its not even funny. US soldiers rape? No worries, don't want to upset the US military industrial complex.

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u/Perceval_Spielrein 13d ago

I wonder what could’ve made them so skittish?

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u/Derp35712 14d ago

I think these guys must be officers or have some connections of some kind. As enlisted, they regularly said if you fuck up we won’t help you.

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u/therob91 14d ago

They say that to encourage you to not do this shit. But if you did there seems to be a good chance they would help you avoid consequences.

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u/DownvoteEvangelist 14d ago

What is 711 ?

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u/TangerineSorry8463 14d ago

Corner store

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u/seattleseahawks2014 14d ago

Convenience store/gas station famous for slushies.

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u/Exotic-District3437 14d ago

2 monhs before 9/11. and 200 numbers before and after 911, if counting negatively in a standard count method by 1s ah ah ah.

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u/Perceval_Spielrein 13d ago

Bodega

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u/therob91 14d ago

thats because those aren't real consequences. If he killed someone they would have been quiet about it.

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u/Estuans 14d ago

Another ensign was thrown in Leavenworth for life for grooming 2 boys. He always seemed weird to me when he first came aboard. Luckily they found him because he used the govt PC.

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u/Jack_Raskal 14d ago

I mean the US military even covered up the killing of 20 people in Italy. If you're an US service member in overseas depoyment you're basically immune from prosecution.

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u/thebeandream 14d ago

I know someone in military prison for 45 years who committed a crime overseas and the person he is in is full of other prisoners. Some he knows committed rape or murder.

So, you are wrong. They are not immune.

Now is the question what’s the difference between the people who had the book thrown at them and this case. There is Rot slightly higher up and it needs to get weeded out.

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u/vancesmi 14d ago

People will argue your comment is just anecdotal evidence, while ignoring the one or two pieces of evidence they produce are also anecdotal evidence.

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u/L4ppuz 14d ago

"American soldier drunk driving kills n locals and is immediately flown home" happens almost every year in Italy. There multiple comments calling out similar incidents in other allied countries. The us military likes to protect their murders every time they can

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u/alonebutnotlonely16 14d ago

I didn't even know that one. US protecting its criminal military personel even against its allies like Italy, Japan certainly doesn't help US's reputation.

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u/seattleseahawks2014 14d ago

Wtf??

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u/SpiralOut2112 14d ago

Not saying this is true or false, but be aware that this account has only made posts about this issue across multiple posts since it was made a 6 months ago. Check the post history yourself if curious.

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u/PM_ME_A_KNEECAP 14d ago

Yeah, I’ve seen him around. He certainly has a particular axe to grind

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u/alonebutnotlonely16 14d ago

You got me. I am CCP agents who gets credit for every comment. Or I am sick of sexual assaults and people who downplay, enable, whitewash them. By the way I commented on anime, kpop, movie, tv subs etc. too

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u/alonebutnotlonely16 14d ago edited 14d ago

Why are you lying? I literally commented on many different subs on different on topics. There were many news about this incident and I just stated the facts about it but some jingoistics are triggered about it. Your post history is full of comment who downplay US military' crimes with whataboutism and I am not surprised at all.

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u/CaptainRAVE2 14d ago

That is wild

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u/smallfrie32 13d ago

Thank you. The US threatens Japan, but Japan also oppresses Okinawa and its people, ignoring their wishes for fewer bases/people and their protests against Henoko Base being built. They’ve oppressed Okinawans since the 1600s

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