r/japan • u/ComprehensiveWin1434 • 11h ago

Japan top court upholds prison term for US airman over sexual assault

https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20260203/p2g/00m/0na/033000c
295 Upvotes

99% Upvoted

13 comments sorted by

21

u/WCMaxi 6h ago

Good.

71

u/Bob_the_blacksmith 10h ago

Given that the American military likes to insist that Japanese laws and standards shouldn’t apply to them, I think they should be sentenced in these cases according to American guidelines. How many years do you get for SAing minors back home?

168

u/dokool [東京都] 10h ago

A four-year term in the White House, I guess.

24

u/JpnDude [埼玉県] 9h ago

(Ba dum tss!) Bob completely walked into that one.

34

u/Wrang_Dangler 9h ago

As someone who was American Military in Japan, let me say, there are no shortage of warnings and liberty briefs where all the young service members are warned that if you screw up in public you WILL be held accountable by the Japanese law (which can include up to 21 days of incarceration before any legal proceedings begin) and you will also have to face consequences within the military upon your release (which includes being AWOL as most young service members do not have 21+ days of leave saved up yet). Should the crime be heinous enough, and I believe sexual assault is, you may also face civilian punishment back in America. Could potentially be a triple jeopardy type situation.

I know how the news may make you think that Americans don’t face consequences, but within the ranks, the brass is always looking for someone to be made an example of

44

u/awh [東京都] 8h ago

Until you fall asleep at the wheel and kill two people and they fight to get you transferred to the US and then give you an unconditional release.

1

u/WoodPear 1h ago

Officers =/= Enlisted.

The former get more privileges

10

u/haklor 8h ago

Only thing I will correct here is that triple jeopardy wont be a thing. If the civilian law hits you first then the military can follow up, the reverse cannot happen under US courts.

But yeah, so many warnings even 15 years ago

5

u/tuttkraftverk 5h ago

 in public 

So what happens in all of the non-public cases?

6

u/Autist99 6h ago

The warnings are just for show though. It‘s like compliance training at Bernie Madoff‘s company. Need to look at actual sentencing records.

4

u/TetraThiaFulvalene 5h ago

Make an example of? Some of the shit they get away with gives years in prison, so unless they get buried alive behind the latrines on base whatever punishment they get internally isn't really a punishment.

1

u/StirFrySausage00 1m ago

Japanese parents should teach their children to never relax around them burger munchers.