U.S. sailor arrested over taxi driver's murder

Thursday 03rd April, 02:08 PM JST

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

Latest 15 of 105 Total Comments Show All

Beelzebub at 09:55 PM JST - 3rd April

It seems that an awful lot of posters in here are in denial. That kind of irrational thinking is almost as disturbing as the crime itself. The man has CONFESSED for cryin' out loud! But that doesn't count for anything, does it? Maybe they should blame the driver's murder on Japanese leprechauns.
Sagecat at 10:49 PM JST - 3rd April

The US armed services should do the world a favor and keep their solders restricted to base in Japan. It is becoming plainly clear that US armed servicemen can not handle life here. Really, it is shameful, and I can understand why the people of Okinawa want the US out of there.
TheGeneral at 10:54 PM JST - 3rd April

Big risk for some thing like desertion, and if you planned to kill the guy why take your credit card out? he was cautious about fingerprints on the handle

Perhaps because he tried to pay for the fare first with his credit card? The fact that he was UA would also obviously compound the severity of the situation in his mind (much more than 17,000 yen was at stake for him).

> There's just one thing that bothers me (amongst others) Why did he call the base and turn himself in? Why do that KNOWING he killed someone. Why risk being convicted. His buddies must have told him about the 99% conviction rate.

Well, he wasn't getting out of Japan unless he was going to swim for it. He also thought he had a believable alibi.

> with a kitchen knife. So now they say after 2 weeks of incarceration and interrogation (minus a lawyer defending him)in the Navy brig. The J-Police pop by on wednesday at 930am and BOOM he confesses.

Do try to keep up. He repeated his confession to the J-police. He didn't "suddenly" confess when they came to Yokosuka. The J-police were notified as soon as he confessed to NCIS.

Quit while you're behind.

As much as we may wish otherwise, no conspiracy exists.
mcnatts at 02:33 AM JST - 4th April

Sagecat -

"The US armed services should do the world a favor and keep their solders restricted to base in Japan. It is becoming plainly clear that US armed servicemen can not handle life here. Really, it is shameful, and I can understand why the people of Okinawa want the US out of there."

...right...so you are going to make sweeping generalizations based on individual actions? As a former (and proud of it) service member, I take a fair bit of offence to this. I have been stationed to various different countries while on active duty - and in each case took the time to learn local customs and traditions. I did everything that I could to show the proper respect to the locals that I interacted with. I was even afforded the opportunity to meet the families of several of the Korean soldiers that I worked with.

Not all soldiers are like this person. Yes, soldiers have committed crimes around the world, but those actions were their own. They were not condoned by the Armed Services. If i'm not mistaken, there are crime rates in every nation. There are crimes committed in each of those nations by foreigners...judging all by the actions of one only shows a closed mind.
Easy50 at 03:05 AM JST - 4th April

Okay, I finally get it -- This case saddens me too for the Takahashi family's loss. The scumbucket resposnible should pay the maximum. But I have also come to learn after reading so many of his rambling posts tha Taka13 (or whatever your handle) is a narcissistic idiot. Just read his post.

"It saddens me that in all likelihood, the base is going to go in to a curfew that will increase the stress level of those working on the base and resentment toward their leadership and the Japanese, thereby laying the groundwork for the next act of stupidity."

BREAK -- This was NOT an act of stupidity, it was an act of unadulterated violence committed by one scumbucket individual, and an act that is rare, (yes Taka RARE) among our service members.

You said, -- "It saddens me that since this has happened, people look at Americans in Yokosuka a bit differently."

Maybe, if you are inclinded to think that way, but I dont think so. Show me some evidence beyond your personal anti-US-base, preconceived notions. Yokosuka hs been a Navy town for a good many years. They will rightfully condemn the act, but unlike you Mr. Taka, I susoect they will not paint the American military with the same villian brush. To make such a claim belies an innate prejudice. Show me some evidence that I am wrong. Or is your "opinion" sufficient justification?

"There will be more violent crime committed by Sailors in Yokosuka."

Really? And what evidence do you have to support this claim? The fact is (and i'll bet facts are something you intentionally avoid) the per capita crime rate among SOFA status personnel is half that of the Japanese, but that is probably a FACT that you would rather not know.

"I predict as soon as the curfew is lifted, someone will do something stupid." Could not agree more, because I suspect such stupidity will come from your next post.

"My apologies to everyone who is hurt or angry over this."

For some reason, and maybe its just me, this is the most disingenuous comment I have ever had the displeasure of reading on this site. I think you are more concerned with how you are perceived on this site than what you have to say -- which is generally pretty stupid.
Loki520 at 05:37 AM JST - 4th April

Easy,

I think your misunderstanding what Taka is saying, as well as the intent behind his words. I have not found Taka to be anti-US, bases or anything else. If nothing else, he appears to me to think the same way a lot of us do. And ESPECIALLY so when a crime of such STUPID violence is committed.

And while all know that the per capita crime rate is much lower with SOFA vs. Locals, I'll stand by Taka's prediction. There will be another act of supreme stupidity.
nimbus at 05:39 AM JST - 4th April

Here's a link to an article on this from AP via Yahoo!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080403/aponreas/japanusmilitary;ylt=ApU4IXU3e1dHKgCyRhv5BZ5vaA8F
Obakemono at 08:50 AM JST - 4th April

Sagecat, I agree with you about the US Military should be withdrawl all of our Military forces in Japan and let the goverment of Japan spend their own money to protect itself from the other countries who are just waiting to become the new Rulers of Japan that is if the Japanese will be in control of the goverment From what I read on this web site in the Crime link it appears to me and maybe others that JN"s commit more crimes than the 50,000 US Military Personnel assigned to up hold the Treaty with Japan All the people of Japan should tell all the members of the Diet to end the Treaty and ask the US Military to remove and close all installations Once And For All SOFA agreements should be flushed down the Toilet cause it gives the Japanese to much control of our forces who are there to keep it in a No War Zone
sarcasm123 at 09:31 AM JST - 4th April

"Sagecat, I agree with you about the US Military should be withdrawl all of our Military forces in Japan and let the goverment of Japan spend their own money to protect itself"

Uh, so just WHO do you think is paying for the presence of the US bases??
DanTheManInJapan at 02:16 PM JST - 4th April

Easy50,

I'm trying to imagine how you could possibly be further off the mark when interpreting Taka's post, and I'm having a pretty hard time of it. You may want to take a look at his message history.

sarcasm123,

The US is paying for the presence of the US bases. Japan's contribution is a pittance compared to the total cost of stationing troops here--especially when you consider how much of their payment is immediately returned to the local economy.
WarriorVoice at 02:27 PM JST - 4th April

OK! I am sorry for my befroe commits, because I was very angry at the American US Military bashing. There are a lot of us that do not do crime, that actually say, here we go again getting punished because of one persone cruel crime. We really hate that, so we wish the Japanese do not hate US American military and there families. There are US Civilians over that do not do anything at all, that speak the japanese language and have japanese friends, but are punished to because of US NAVAL Personnel, which is not right, because that take away our constitutional rights. We love our freedom, that is why we are American Civilians that work with the Department Of Defense, not for them. American civilians love and respect japan, we go by different rules under the American Embassy, but the US NAVAL BASE Yokosuka control our freedom. Please do not judge all Americans here in Japan by actions of a few, that is a wrong judgement call, by any country. When I was little I thought all Japanese people was Ninja's and like killing, but when I finally had a chance to come to japan, with a open mind, I was able to see differently.

Thank you for being a great host country, I love it here, I will be staying here with my japanese wife and kids, and I also understand the Spirit of Mount Fuji, it is over whelming.
nigelboy at 03:34 PM JST - 4th April

The US is paying for the presence of the US bases. Japan's contribution is a pittance compared to the total cost of stationing troops here--especially when you consider how much of their payment is immediately returned to the local economy.

DanTheManinJapan

According to the Allied Contribution to the Common Defense dated 2004

"Cost sharing in support of U.S. forces stationed on its territory remains Japan’s most significant responsibility sharing contribution. Indeed, its host nation support is the most generous of any U.S. ally, and consists of funding covered under both the Special Measures Agreement (SMA) and the Facilities Improvement Program (FIP). The Department’s estimate of Japan’s cost sharing support for U.S. forces in 1999 was $5.2 billion, covering 78.8 percent of U.S. basing costs."

This, of course, is the highest among the 26 other Alliance countries but in fact it's nearly 1.1 times the total of those 26 other nations .

Furthermore, using the "economic" effect, in my opinion, is weak reason for ANY military base. By using that argument, one could conceivably argue that there should be no base closures whatsoever and that there should be MORE.
DanTheManInJapan at 08:07 AM JST - 6th April

Nigelboy,

As much as I would love to rebut your last post, it seems I can't do so without being considered 'off-topic'. It's funny how the interesting conversations always seem to pop up in the wrong threads.

Hopefully we can continue this one in another thread sometime soon.
Easy50 at 12:26 AM JST - 9th April

DanTheMan and Loki520,

You are correct. Contrary to my previous claim, I have read only a few of Taka13's posts, and quite frankly they did not impress me. But, if what you say is true, then I suppose your posts, in objection to mine, were more kind than I may have deserved, and I am willing to offer an apology to Mr. Taka. But I gotta tell ya, I am quite mystified that in a country where bicyclists take sport in "stabbing" unsuspecting pedestrians, where mothers and fathers appear to routinely murder their children, and where children behead, stab, and strangle their classmates, (and by the way, I do not believe they represent the typical Japanese citizen), and yet when the aberant U.S. military service member commits such an act, it is cause for painting us all with the same brush? Why is that? Let me share something with you. I serve in the US military as do many of us in Japan. Trust me when I say that we would much rather be back home with our families than serving here, but we serve here because it is our duty as prescribed by our individual services. We do not enjoy being away from home and given our druthers, we would rather not be here. So if I were to avoid the "Big Picture" and focus on the personal, I would be all in favor of completely withdrawing from this country. But the fact is we have a "Mutual Security Treaty" with Japan. And until that is dissolved, "our kind" (the evil military) will continue to be assigned here (much as we would prefer otherwise) and the errant, aberant scumbucket will continue to do bad things. So if you are Japanese and can vote, make a choice -- send us home (we will not cry about this) or keep us here. You cannot have it both ways. If you want us to go, then tell us to go. If you want us to stay, then react to such incidents with a more measured, mature approach. And if you are not a Japanese citizen and still feel compelled to offer an anti-US military opinion, then might I offer you a warm, dark place where you might cram that opinion.

Moderator -- I know I probably violated some rules with this post, but if you let this go I will buy you beaucoup beers.
TofuShinigami at 02:12 PM JST - 9th April

Easy50, as a fellow serviceman serving in Japan I'd of liked to agree with your points, but find myself contrary to all/most of them.

Sadly, it is people in your mindset of "much rather be back home...than serving here" and "all in favor of completely withdrawing from this country" that seem to be finding themselves in hot water here.

In a 'perfect' world (haha), servicemen and women would be assigned as they wish. Falling short of that then a 'perfect' screening process would be in place to subvert such tragic events in the past.