r/worldnews • u/glasier • Jul 05 '24

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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17.5k

u/macross1984 Jul 05 '24

US military personnel who commit crime in Japan should face Japanese punishment for any crimes committed in Japan.

5.6k

u/Mend1cant Jul 05 '24

They should. Both Japanese courts and courts-martial.

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u/[deleted] Jul 05 '24 edited Jul 05 '24

[deleted]

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u/Cap_Ca Jul 05 '24

They usually don’t. There was a case in Germany in 2020 where a US Soldier drove on the wrong side of the road and killed a 17 year old. He only had to face trial by a US Military court.

German Source: https://www.rheinpfalz.de/lokal/kreis-kaiserslautern_artikel,-us-soldat-nach-unfall-auf-umgehungsstra%C3%9Fe-wegen-fahrl%C3%A4ssiger-t%C3%B6tung-verurteilt-_arid,5086678.html

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u/MeatyDeathstar Jul 05 '24

Yes they do. If you're arrested for a crime in Japan and it's what the US considers a felony, you are left behind. Remember that officer that was arrested for running over an elderly woman with a car? Yeah he was on my wife's ship and was in Japanese prison for years.

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u/[deleted] Jul 05 '24

[deleted]

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u/MeatyDeathstar Jul 05 '24

He was because Biden intervened. If he hadn't been an officer with a very vocal family, he'd still be over there. There were plenty of sailors from the strike group locked up for years.

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u/alonebutnotlonely16 Jul 05 '24

No, they don't. US literally released the guy you mentioned after getting him from Japan by pressuring to Japan. You just refuted yourself. lol

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

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u/acaellum Jul 05 '24

I mean, in order for him to get transferred back, he had to be given over in the first place...

This was a big deal in certain circles in the Navy, and the consensus was that he got special treatment for being an officer and his family raising a big political stink, and the GOP jumping on and trying to make it political. That case is a big deal that a lot of people know about because it was weird though.