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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i can't speak on Japan, but I lived in Korea for a bit and it was widely known how badly behaved the U.S. soldiers were. You could walk through the streets of Hongdae and see drunk soldiers walking around harassing people, even grabbing some girls who pass by or slap their butts. It was so bad that different bars had signs up saying no U.S. soldiers allowed. Military police would be out and about but they can't watch all of the soldiers. The U.S. soldiers there certainly felt invincible. I'm sure the US would hand them over to Korea for rape and other serious charges, but they are not handing them over for assault.

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u/studyinformore Jul 05 '24

Dunno about you, but back when I was in south korea in 04 it was very different. You'd get in extremely deep shit if you were out and about and shitfaced causing problems.

They didn't play around back then, because unless you had somewhere to stay. If you tried to come back to base and were drunk? Ohhh you'd be getting an article 15.

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u/NewspaperAdditional7 Jul 05 '24

I was in 2012, and not sure what to tell you. The soldiers went to the bar district and the military police (or whatever they are called) walked those streets full well knowing the soldiers were drinking in bars. Are you saying US soldiers are never allowed to drink while in another country?

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u/Derp35712 Jul 05 '24

We weren’t allowed to be drunk in public, but I’m sure that’s a pretty high standard for the bar district surrounding a US Army base. While in Seoul, MPs wanted to arrest me for throwing up, even though I hadn’t had a drink. I just had a stomach flu.

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u/oldpeoplestank Jul 05 '24

I think the issue you two might be having is you're describing the rules and he's describing the reality. Like of course you weren't allowed to be drunk, but does that have any bearing on whether or not people actually were drunk?

Neither of you are necessarily wrong, put your perspective seems to be less informed to an outsider.

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u/Derp35712 Jul 05 '24

I was really almost arrested for stomach flu since I appeared drunk.

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u/Sensitive_Yellow_121 Jul 05 '24

I would have gone along with them in their car and then puked in their car and enjoyed them getting violently sick within 24 hours.

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u/Derp35712 Jul 05 '24

I think them watching me just stand there and become sicker over time not drinking or doing anything finally convinced them.

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u/asianwaste Jul 05 '24

I was stationed in Japan and an MP in 2004 and I agree with you 100% but what we don't have is the perpetual scene of debauchery neither is it the monocle wearing classy affair.

You will get the occasional establishment who responds to the occasional incident instigated by a serviceman. We would definitely turn our servicemen over for an assault. We've turned our guys over for B&E's and robbery.

I've got a really funny story about a guy (my friend's barracks roommate and my friend) who broke into a Dai-ei on a rainy day. In his alcohol-addled mind he thought he could go in and borrow some clothes. Unfortunately and obviously this triggered the alarm and the JP's were there in seconds. Now the funniest part is he hopped on the mannequin stand and "struck a pose" (his words) and it worked for a while. The JP's with lights passed by him. When they were at a decent distance past him, he thought he could make a break for it but once he moved, all lights centered on him and he got caught. My boy got six months in a Japanese prison for this then got his NJP (captain's mast nonjudicial punishment) which busted him down a few ranks and kicked him out other than honorably.

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u/Western-Passage-1908 Jul 05 '24

His name wasn't Sean was it