Foreigner found dead on beach in Okinawa
Details on this are very sketchy at the moment as the news is just being reported in the mainstream media and seems to vary a little from report to report. What seems to be known is that the body of a male foreigner (I think Western) in their 50s was found on a beach in the Yomitan area of Okinawa on Monday. Some reports are saying it was on Torii beach near the Torii Station Army base. Others seem to be saying it was a different beach. Again, yet another report is claiming the deceased was a DoDDs science teacher (US Department of Defence) teacher in Okinawa.
Will give more concrete details as they come through.
March 23rd anti-US military protest to go ahead without political support
As you can tell, I’m feeling better now and am back writing on the topic you seemed to be enjoying out there. As I have posted previously, an anti-US military presence protest is scheduled to take place on March 23rd in Chatan town in Okinawa. The protesters asked for local government support of their actions, but until today, they were undecided as to whether they should attend or not. Well, their answer has finally come and it is probably the answer a lot of people expected when they think about it. This, from Japan Update:
Governor, LDP to bypass anti-American protest rally
Date Posted: 2008-03-13
Nearly 60 groups have formed an executive committee to organize what they hope will be a strong demonstration to protest crimes committed by GIfs on Okinawa, but theyfre lacking the political clout they were hoping for.
Okinawafs ruling Liberal Democratic Party has already denounced the rally plans, saying they want no part of it. Workers unions, teacher and other education groups, womenfs groups and the Okinawa Peace Center are firm in their plan for a March 23rd rally at Chatan Townfs Baseball Field. The LDP and Governor Hirokazu Nakaima have spoken out that the incident that started the entire rally demand centered on a young girl who accused a Marine of raping her has since withdrawn the charges, and the Naha Prosecutorfs Office has dismissed the case against the man.
gWe have to think of the girlfs feelings and peace of mind,h says the governor, and not make noise.h Nakaima did say, however, hefll discuss the rally plans with various groups and then reevaluate his decision. His vice governor, Zenki Nakazato, has called for calm over the incidents, pointing to more important strategic interests that must be taken care of for Okinawafs future. He said, essentially, the future of the strategic alliance between Japan and the U.S., and maintaining bases on Okinawa, must be considered heavily.
Protesters have chosen a slogan for their Easter Sunday 2 p.m. demonstration. gLetfs Protest the Scandal and Accidents by Military Members Prefecture Rallyh is the formal name, but executive committee members are reportedly frustrated by the lack of public support for their action. The committee plans to ask all Prefecture Assembly members to attend, but thatfs questionable in light of the LDP decision to skip the rally.
gOur living and human rights have been threatened by these incidents and accidents committed by American soldiers,h says Haruko Odo. gThis violence against women has been happening for more than 60 years.h Odo is chairwoman of the Prefecture Womenfs Association, one of the core groups sponsoring the rally.
The protest rallyfs executive committee is taking the demonstration theme beyond military incidents, agreeing to demand the U.S. and Japanese governments agree to revamp the Status of Forces Agreement, and to cut the number of American bases on Okinawa. The rally idea was first kindled last month to protest the alleged rape of a 14-year-old girl by a 38-year-old Marine, Tyrone Hadnott. After Japanese officials dropped the charges and handed the Marine staff sergeant over to the U.S. military, many Okinawans backed off their initial support for a rally.
The concept of reducing American bases has some support, including that of Tetsuei Tamayose, chairman of a childrenfs welfare group. He cautions, however, that any rally must be carefully planned in a way it can be accepted by Okinawans of all political and social views and backgrounds.
The Komeito, the LDPfs political partner, has also chosen not to participate or endorse the rally.
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First of all, the gLetfs Protest the Scandal and Accidents by Military Members Prefecture Rallyh is a great name for a slogan! Not only does it conform with the use of “Let’s” plus any word (e.g. Let’s enjoy English, let’s playing in the park, let’s Thailand!) but the rest of it just rolls off the tongue. I suppose they will call it the LPSAMMPR for short! For people without a sense of humour (I know there are still some out there!), I am aware that the slogan will be in Japanese and has just been translated into English for this article’s sake.
It’s OK you killed him… he was an American anyway!
You seemed to be liking the crime stories I have been posting from Japan, so here’s one you can really get your teeth into. I read the initial story a week or 2 ago. It read something like this: American guy goes into a bar a little worse for wear through drink. He starts an argument with a Japanese guy while going into the club. The DJ from the club then pins him to the floor and beats him to death.
See, got you interested now! It’s all about giving people a hook and then reeling them in! Anyway, I’ll let the Japan Times let you know what’s going to happen to the DJ:
Death of American in bar fight likely to draw leniency
By JUN HONGO
Staff writer
The death of an American resident in Tokyo in a fatal bar fight late last month is not likely to result in any severe punishment being meted out due to the circumstances of the case, legal experts say.
Richard “Scott” Tucker, 47, died at Tokyo Metropolitan Hiroo Hospital after being punched and choked at Bullets, a nightclub in Tokyo’s Minato Ward, on Feb. 29. Police arrested Atsushi Watanabe, a 29-year-old disc jockey at the club, for the fatal assault.
While some media reports have suggested the West Virginian visited the club to complain about the noise, a police official told The Japan Times on Tuesday that Tucker appeared “heavily drunk and acted violently toward other customers,” at times striking a boxer’s pose, on the night of the incident.
Watanabe has told investigators he attempted to halt the disturbance in his club “because (Tucker) was picking a quarrel with everyone,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
Legal experts suggest such circumstances would likely result in Watanabe receiving relatively minor punishment.
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Let’s completely disregard all nationalities from this argument for a second. Firstly, what were the bouncers/security in the club doing, or not doing while this was happening? Japanese clubs do, like most western places, have bouncers on the door and in the club itself. Secondly, does that mean it’s now OK to beat someone to death if they pick a quarrel with people in a club? If so, you’d better get ready for some killing sprees in nightclubs around the globe. This seems like a shocking prediction of what is going to happen to this guy if he is punished leniently.
Now let’s, for argument’s sake, reverse the nationalities a little. Let’s say a Japanese guy walks into a club owned and run by Americans in Okinawa. The guy is obviously drunk and trying to pick a fight with customers. The American DJ at the club then comes over to him, knocks him down and pummels him until he’s a bruised corpse on the ground. Do you think when he’s arrested the “Well, he was picking quarrels with everyone” will mean the accused gets a lenient sentence? Me neither.
Okinawa base protest schedule for March
Apologies for not writing much over the past week. Have been suffering from SARS/bird flu or some other potentially fatal disease for the past few days. Of course, it could just be the flu that is going round our school but saying you’ve got a mild case of SARS brings much more sympathy! Anyway, just a minor update today with details of 2 anti-US protests in March (and corresponding areas that SOFA status personnel might want to keep away from).
Date: 16Mar08 (Sunday)
Time: 1400 -
Who: Peace Civic Liaison Association (folks sitting at Henoko Port) and supporters
What: Rally and Demonstration March
Where: Rally at Prefectural Citizen’s Park in Naha City (near Prefectural Government Building and Palette Kumoji Department Store) and demonstration march (somewhere; see below)
Purpose: To protest Okinawa International Friendship (mark anniversary of start of OIF)
Estimated Participants: Less than 50
Impact on SOFA personnel: No problems are anticipated during this protest, as their activities will be monitored. SOFA status personnel are advised to avoid this protest due to past “irrational” behavior by
members of this group. Location of demonstration march unknown at this time due to the usual course (down Kokusai Street, Prefectural Road 39) being closed to all traffic for a “transmit mall” event.
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Date: 20Mar08 (Thursday; Japanese Holiday, Spring Equinox Day)
Time: 1400 -
Who: Japan Communist Party and affiliated groups.
What: Rally and Demonstration March
Where: Rally at Prefectural Citizen’s Park in Naha City (near Prefectural Government Building and Palette Kumoji Department Store) and demonstration march to Makishi Park along Kokusai Street (Prefectural
Road 39)
Purpose: To protest OIF (mark anniversary of start of OIF)
Estimated Participants: Less than 100
Impact on SOFA personnel: No problems are anticipated during this protest, as their activities will be monitored. SOFA status personnel are advised to avoid this protest.
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That’s all for now folks! More when I’ve made a Lazarus-type recovery!
Comments on the article posted last night
Right - well after a few hours sleep I’m feeling marginally rested and ready to tackle the article I posted last night on here. I think the best way is to just quote parts of the article and comment on them, as I did with a few previous article. So, take a deep breath and let’s take the plunge.
Now, Chatan Mayor Masaharu Noguni said that “The lockdown was just a performance by the American military… the military is very much slacking… without learning anything they must not end the lockout.” Hmmm… where to begin with this one. Well, the mayors of both Chatan and Okinawa City (probably the two towns with the biggest US military presence in Okinawa) are known by many to be very much anti-military. Keeping that fact in mind, these comments should not be completely surprising. But who is to say that the military have not learned anything? Again, it appears to be a case of people not realising these cases are the exception rather than the rule. Maybe a lockdown is needed in Tokyo for everyone, following 2 men from advertising firm Hakuhodo Inc were arrested for drugging a girl and then molesting her while she was unconscious. But that would be unacceptable because they would be condemning the whole of Tokyo for the actions of a couple of individuals. Notice a trend?
Noguni also said that “they need to give strict education to lower ranking young service men”. Given that Hadnott was a 38-year old Staff Sergeant in the US Marines (who I should mention again, was released without charge), if you read between the lines it’s not difficult to see this is just rhetoric coming out to save face given what has happened.
“Assembly member Katsushi Yonamine said gwefre wondering how that even with a lockout the scandal happened (referring to the Airman being arrested for breaking & entering during lockdown)… how are they going to prevent incidents in the future… their lockout system doesnft work.”" It happened, I believe, because the guy was walking home from base to base drunk and, well alcohol took over. It’s also obvious for anyone living in Japan to see, the curfew system for children doesn’t work either. Maybe soon people will ask what parents are going to do to prevent incidents like the one that started all this trouble in the first place. They may start to ask how this could happen when the girl should have been tucked up in bed instead of hanging out with her friends on the street. You may even get questions as to why the police will just drive by these children, look at them but then say or do nothing.