U.S. military promises to cooperate with Japanese police over taxi driver's murder

Monday 24th March, 03:52 AM JST

YOKOSUKA —

The U.S. military said Sunday it will cooperate if requested with Japanese police in their investigation of the case of a cabdriver found murdered in his taxi in Yokosuka in which a U.S. Navy sailor’s credit card was found, but declined to comment about the sailor’s possible involvement in the case.

‘‘There has been no request to my knowledge at this point but my response will be immediate...if and when police investigators ask,’’ U.S. Naval Forces Japan Commander Rear Adm James Kelly said at a press conference.

‘‘Although today I will not confirm any evidential kind of information nor confirm or deny some of the stories that you’ve written...I want to do anything I can to help the tragedy,’’ Kelly said.

The commander indicated that it would be premature to comment on the sailor’s possible link to the murder, saying, ‘‘The sailor...is in custody for desertion’’ and ‘‘he is not under suspicion of anything attached to the murder at this point.’’

Kelly also refrained from commenting on why the sailor’s credit card was found inside the taxi, saying, ‘‘I wouldn’t want to speculate at any of the things that are being mentioned in media about evidence.’’

The sailor, a 22-year-old seaman on the U.S. 7th Fleet’s Aegis-equipped cruiser Cowpens, which is based at Yokosuka, has reportedly denied involvement in the case.

Capt Daniel Weed, head of the U.S. naval base in Yokosuka, was also present at the press conference in front of the Navy headquarters building.

Meanwhile, the Japanese police the same day stepped up their investigations into the case amid a lack of evidence to suggest that the sailor got into the taxi.

The police are looking into information that the sailor associated with a group of foreign nationals in Tokyo after allegedly leaving the base without permission, suspecting that another person could have dropped the credit card in the taxi, police sources said.

If the police obtain evidence of the sailor’s involvement in the murder, Japanese authorities are expected to ask the United States to hand over the suspect prior to indictment in line with a special arrangement under the bilateral Status of Forces Agreement, they said.

U.S. Navy criminal investigators apprehended the sailor in Tokyo on Saturday and took him into custody on a charge of desertion as he had been missing since March 8.

Masaaki Takahashi, 61, was found dead with a kitchen knife in his neck in the driver’s seat of his taxi on a road in Yokosuka near the U.S. naval base on Wednesday evening.

12 Comments

DubyaKiller at 03:42 PM JST - 24th March

‘‘he is not under suspicion of anything attached to the murder at this point.’’ So as an employer responsible for the country that you are serving in Mr Kelly, you feel no need to interview your employee about his credit card in a dead taxi drivers cab ? "I want to do anything I can to help the tragedy,’’ Rubbish. You're going to cover up his involvement.
VoXman at 03:56 PM JST - 24th March

Dubyakiller, welcome to the party? Unfortunately, you should have read all the news prior to posting then you'd know that since the moment the Navy brought the guy in, both the US and the Japanese police have been intensely investigating (asking him questions.) Other news reports also state the Police have not found his fingerprints on the card or anywhere in the Taxi.
CryoSnipe at 04:03 PM JST - 24th March

I do believe in the words "innocent until proven guilty". And at this point the accused has not been proven guilty...but in my 'opinion' I think he did it, or he's just incredibly stupid and is going to get stuck with it. Unfortunately for the rest of us law abiding U.S. servicemembers, we have to suffer the wrath of the top brass that's going to come raining down here shortly.
DubyaKiller at 04:41 PM JST - 24th March

VoXman, I am reacting to the quotes by Kelly on this article, which mention nothing whatsoever about questioning his employee on the murder. ‘‘The sailor...is in custody for desertion’’ and ‘‘he is not under suspicion of anything attached to the murder at this point.’’ I am not telepathic and I cannot react to other news stories on other news sites. I am reacting to a US navy rear admiral saying that the seaman whose credit card was found in the cab of a murdered taxi driver is only being questioned for desertion. That's what is say's above doesn't it ?
Loki520 at 05:01 PM JST - 24th March

Remember... at this point he is only a deserter. He is a "person of interest" in the other case. And I'm quite sure that the "employee" is being questioned about any possible connection to the tragedy in Yokosuka.

DubyaKiller. Nothing is being covered up. Even the Jcops haven't filed charges, or asked to see him, at this time, at least not that can be seen in any news sites.

Trust me... A murder off base, with his name attached to it in the manner it is, can NOT be covered up.
VoXman at 05:12 PM JST - 24th March

DubyaKiller, yes, but common sense would tell you that this is an on-going story that began last wednesday night. Had you read the other articles (not requiring telepathy), you'd see that the police designated the guy as Not a suspect. In addition, you know that the Police Supperintendent for Kanagawa said publically that the Navy (meaning Kelly) have been exceptionally co-operative in the matter. Also, by reading the article you somehow came up with this gem? "Rubbish. You’re going to cover up his involvement." Sounds like your trying to be telepathic there. Come on catch up with us! Go back and read the 5 stories on JT and the Asahi and Mainichi and I am sure you'll have something contructive to post them.
VOR at 08:01 PM JST - 24th March

I would think if this seaman did it, the Kanagawa police would already have enough physical evidence to charge him with the crime.

Credit cards get lost or stolen all the time. If his finger prints were on the card, in the cab or on the knife, this would be pretty much an open and shut murder investigation.

Since the Kanagawa police have not pressed charges or named him a suspect, that tells me they are lacking the hard physical evidence needed to arrest him on murder charges.
Loki520 at 09:31 PM JST - 24th March

VOR,

Well, it would make sense that his prints were on the card, as it is his card. But other than that, it makes sense to me.
Triring at 08:39 AM JST - 25th March

You guy are such simpletons, first finding specific prints in a cab would be daunting task. A cab is a public vehicle so there are going to find hundreds of unidentified print within the cab. Second, even if they verify prints within the cab they only ascertained that he rode the cab. Without physical evidence connecting the murder with the suspect he can say whatever he wants to get out of it. This case lacks the murder weapon and/or blood stains from the victim leading to the suspect. If they were able to lift prints directly from the body that would be another strong evidence.
HoDeDo at 09:02 AM JST - 25th March

Tiring,

"This case lacks the murder weapon "

What do you call the knife sticking out of the murder victim's neck?

If this guy did it, the cops should have no problem connecting him to the crime.

Nice try Dick Tracy.
nigelboy at 09:18 AM JST - 25th March

Interesting. No fingerprints on the knife and the credit card. I can understand the knife part but no prints found on the credit card??

Also, the sailor indicated that during the alleged crime, he was hanging out at the Dobuita St which is just a few hundred meters from the crime scene.
CryoSnipe at 07:58 AM JST - 27th March

As said earlier...any prints on the credit card are irrelevant because it's his card...but shortly we'll find out for sure if his prints are on the murder weapon or not. Personally I don't think the guy did it, because if someone kills a cab driver because they can't afford a cab ride, they don't leave over 600 dollars in the cab, they'd take the freakin' money.