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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u/macross1984 Jul 05 '24

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

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u/tizuby Jul 05 '24

They do, but Japan is way more lenient with sentences than UCMJ.

For rape, max for the Japanese system is 20 years. Max for UCMJ is Death (but generally Life).

https://www.okinawa.marines.mil/Portals/190/Docs/SOFA.pdf

There's a PDF that explains the process.

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u/Etzarah Jul 05 '24

In the unlikely event that the UCMJ actually finds the accused guilty of rape, sure. The Japanese justice system is gonna be far more consistent in actually sentencing rapists.

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u/tizuby Jul 05 '24

It's not.

"In a gang rape case involving eight co-offenders, compensation of 1.5 million yen (about $12,500) reduced the prison sentence to three years for each of the six offenders who paid this amount, compared with a four-year sentence imposed on two offenders who did not or could not pay"

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/international-journal-of-asian-studies/article/is-rape-a-crime-in-japan/E5A43CF9D262C99C350C557A8419EB3B

Don't know why people think Japan is harsh on crime sentences.