Court rules superior's insulting remarks resulted in sailor's suicide

Monday 25th August, 04:38 PM JST

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USNinJapan2 at 11:44 PM JST - 25th August

I hope everyone that claims Japan is capable of defending itself remembers this story. A country that finds its 'military' personnel liable for using harsh language towards his/her subordinates is not up to the task of maintaining a competent fighting force. It's a shame this sailor ended his own life, but frankly I'm surprised he had lasted as long as he did in the JMSDF. I've always thought that the old saying, "Sticks and stones my break my bones but words will never hurt me," doesn't ring true for most of Japanese society but I thought at least in the Self Defense Forces... Sigh. : (
usaexpat at 12:00 AM JST - 26th August

Is the SDF a lot softer than the US armed forces or what? I can picture some US army drill sargents coming over here and seeing a massive spike in suicides. This is the culture of the armed forces anywhere folks, apparently this sailor wasn't strong enough to cut it.
bobcatfish at 12:17 AM JST - 26th August

‘‘You are not qualified as a petty officer third class,’’ or ‘‘Are you dumb?’’

I hope the enemy never stoops to such tactics
cwhite at 12:30 AM JST - 26th August

not sure why some people endorse verbal abuse, must be the Hollywood movies, but do US Military Supervisors shout verbal crap on a daily basis as cited in the manual? or do they just enjoy it because they had to go through the same crap. Must be the carrot and stick tactic, does it work? A necessity.
USNinJapan2 at 12:48 AM JST - 26th August

cwhite

"You are not qualified as a petty officer third class." "Are you dumb?"

In a civilian job you may call this verbal abuse but in the military it's called an ass chewing (a very tame one at that). Normally you don't find yourself receiving one unless you did something to deserve it. The military is one place where the saying, "No pain, no gain," is absolutely valid, and unpleasant as this kind of verbal reprimand may be it makes one tougher. Obviously military life/service isn't for everyone, as this unfortunate young man discovered.
majimekun at 01:08 AM JST - 26th August

Looks like he was really dumb.
kjunluc2 at 01:26 AM JST - 26th August

You can't run a military organization like a company business.

Too bad about this kid but he should have been let go if he wasn't up to par.

Before the UCMJ there was a lot of injustice in the U.S. armed forces but I never heard of any suicides. If there were they were by people who were already unstable.
romulus3 at 02:02 AM JST - 26th August

really good. now lets shift some of that to high school age kids. Japan can get better if it wants too. Just takes a bit of time.
doedel at 03:00 AM JST - 26th August

"... he hanged himself in the 'destroyer'..." 'IT' did the job. Former comments about whimpyness or other related stuff seem right. But, IF it would have been MY boy, I probably would also try to blame the 'Company' if I'd not know better. RIP dude, had so much in front though, way too youg to die and even by own hand.
JoiceRojo at 04:08 AM JST - 26th August

somehow, this case remembers me a movie called "A few good men"...

Can you really leave the military if you are not up to it? but if you leave, you are agreeing with the superior Or not?
Taka313 at 07:06 AM JST - 26th August

You can't run a military organization like a company business.

You can't run a military organization like a company business.

Amen brother. Amen.

On the other side of the "that guy must have been really soft" argument, I deployed on the JDS Haruna in 1996 and witnessed the Chief Boatswain's Mate smack his deck seamen for not getting their knots right. So...to say that the JMSDF is soft isn't necessarily true either.

It was documented that the superior said he was unfit to be a PO3. If that is the case, I can imagine that there are, in all likelihood, things that were said that weren't documented that were a lot more harsh. Yeah, the guy probably wasn't a good fit for the JMSDF and likely had mental health problems. A good leader would have recognized that and got him out before it came to this.

Taka
kjunluc2 at 08:24 AM JST - 26th August

****One time, about 45 years ago, I watched Japanese sailors lower away a whale boat from Welin davits by hand. I don't remember what type ship but think it was a tin can. They were like a well-oiled piece of machinery.

I don't know about their seamenship today but doubt their discipline is as harsh. Less discipline, less efficiency.

With proper leadership the misfits could be weeded out in boot camp and avoid these terrible incidents.
bushlover at 08:38 PM JST - 26th August

That's what a life of getting your way creates. Whimps that can't stand to be told the way it really is. No pity from me. And the judge just keeps on letting it happen by rewarding for bad behavior.
Hughgarse at 12:50 PM JST - 27th August

Why would you even enlist if you know you`re going to be getting this kind of normal drill instructor abuse anyway.. Did he think he was joining the little league or something?
USNinJapan2 at 11:09 PM JST - 27th August

Did he think he was joining the little league or something?

Wouldn't be surprised if he did...

http://jp.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjAXJaFydwM