Not good news for those wanting an end to the lockdown today
Well, hopes are high that the lockdown for the US military here in Okinawa will end later today (March 3rd). However, these hopes have been dealt a savage blow with the reported arrest on Yahoo Japan news and NHK news of an Airman for breaking and entering. The original story is in Japanese, but here is an English version, badly translated by Google:
American soldiers arrested in unlawful entry = curfew in the base fence overcome - Okinawa Prefectural Police
The curfew has been issued in action, out of bases in Okinawa City, Okinawa Prefecture, entered the office of the Okinawa Police Station on December 2, unlawful entry of U.S. forces on suspicion of belonging to Kadena Air Force Base superior soldier, Wesley Kevin Taft (21) to arrest the suspect. The suspect was drunk at the time, “one (glass) during a break,” admitted the charges.
According to the police, the suspect Taft the same day around 6:40, Okinawa Prefecture, the cityfs Construction Association office at the entrance to the glass-like iron bar bashing split the suspected intruder.
Buzzer rang for the burglar alarm company employee Okinawa police rush to the scene, and 1.8 meters high bar Taft had identified a suspect. Breath test at the 0.36 milligrams of alcohol per liter in has been detected.
Middle school girls to the assault as a Marine was arrested after the incident, U.S. troops on Okinawa is from February 20, all military bases and military personnel to go outside to ban them.Taft suspect is a network of bases around the height that is about two meters over the fence out and the bases police said.
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Regardless of how bad the translation is, it doesn’t take a genius to realise the actions of another stupid individual (this time it must be said, not a Marine) could jeopardise the lifting of the lockdown for all the other SOFA status personnel here in Okinawa. Not much on the English news feeds about this at the moment, but I will try to find more later in the day and let you know about it.
or Discuss this Article
Found this: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-03/02/content_7703174.htm
It’s a considerably better translation of what looks to be the same article.
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TOKYO, March 2 (Xinhua) — A U.S. Air Force serviceman in Southern Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture was arrested Sunday over alleged trespassing although the Japan-based U.S. forces have imposed a curfew after a series of crimes.
Wesley Taft, an Airman Second Class of Kadena Air Base, was suspected of trespassing into a construction association’s office in Okinawa city after breaking the building’s appearance glass with a 1.8-meter-long iron stick at about 6:40 a.m., Japanese media reported.
He was drunken when being arrested and admitted what he was accused of, police said.
Taft said he sneaked out of his base during the curfew.
The Japan-based U.S. Marines headquarters imposed a curfew on all its military personnel and nonmilitary staff in Okinawa Prefecture from Feb. 20 as a measure to tighten discipline in wake of a series of crimes including rape of a minor girl which infuriated the Japanese people.
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And the stupidity continues…..
From JU
Dependent busted off-base for illegal drug use
Date Posted: 2008-03-03
The civilian dependent husband of an Air Force NCO has been arrested and charged with using illegal drugs.
A police raid on a home in Yomitan led to the implication of the 42-year-old dependent, identified by police as Manuel D. Taitano, early Saturday. Taitano was initially detained at the Prefecture Police Station in Naha City, then arrested after positive urine tests were confirmed. A police spokeswoman says Taitano had been visiting Yuichi Mekaru’s home in the Yomitan Furugen district when investigators entered the residence. The 29-year-old Mekaru was arrested and charged with receiving illegal stimulants.
Taitano told police he is married to an Air Force service member, and that he both works and resides on Kadena Air Base. In addition to his and Mekaru’s arrest, police also apprehended a third man, Ryo Shinjo. The dependent’s arrest off-base came during a lockdown of all SOFA status personnel, which had ordered all military personnel, government civilian workers and dependents restricted to base.