An American man has been arrested in Tokyo on charges of assaulting a taxi driver after refusing to pay his fare.
According to police, Brittain Kanoa, 27, is accused of physically assaulting the 47-year-old driver of the taxi he used at around 3:30 a.m. on March 14 in Tokyo’s Kameido district, and fleeing the scene without paying the driver, Fuji TV reported. The ride cost 6,500 yen.
In a bizarre twist, the driver did a U-turn and went after the man who flagged him down a few minutes later and got in without realizing it was the same taxi. The driver recognized Kanoa and drove to the nearest "koban" (police box).
Police said Kanoa then hit the driver in the face and neck once again in an attempt to escape, but the driver eventually managed to reach the koban.
Police quoted Kanoa as saying he couldn't remember the incident because he was drunk.
© Japan Today
38 Comments
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Disillusioned
Nice try, but that excuse only works if you are Japanese. You are screwed! Enjoy your 21 days lock up before you are charged, which will be followed by losing your job and having to pay a hefty fine. Idiot!
Blacklabel
I saw somewhere else that the guy had just arrived in Japan the night before and came to look for work as a bartender?
wontond
Spoken like a true local.
lationz
He clearly read the numerous articles that crop up now and again about Japanese people doing exactly the same thing, only this time the "I was drunk and don't remember" excuse won't get him off the hook.
William77
The guy is a real idiot,why even take a taxi if he doesn't have the money? Anyway it must be sayed how the japanese media empathized such kind of crime committed by a foreigner but on the other hand i wonder how often every week drunk local people do the same thing but never come to news. This guy certainly deserve his punishment but the press here also look to condemn always a single bad foreign apple.
fishy
When Japanese people commit a crime like this, it's on the news. You probably see more news about foreigners in Japan on Japantoday because most of the readers are non Japanese.
Also, the fact this guy ran away and then caught the same taxi, was driven to the koban, got arrested, makes this more newsworthy (so stupid).
dcog9065
What a moron. You can bet foreigners will have a slightly harder time picking up taxis for the next few weeks if they appear even slightly drunk
Seesaw7
LOL. Silly, you got what you asked for. I am sorry for the Taxi driver. Hope he recovers soon. That Idiot should pay for his medical bills.
MsDelicious
Funny story.
Mike L
What a dumbass.
Mike L
This guy is all kinds of stupid.
lomae
Good on the taxi driver for not being taken advantage of and getting the guy to the police. I really hope this doesn't lead to further discrimination of foreigners though.
Monozuki
Other media say the American had come to Japan on March 13 to look for a position as a bartender. Given that he just got here, he was so good at cooking up the Japanese drunkard-excuse. But fortunately, it didn't work. Nevertheless it never works. LOL.
Mike L
Criminal record after just arriving. Legend.
Thunderbird2
Muppet.
Wakarimasen
his excuse is pure class. he may get away with a slap on the wrist fot fitting in so well.
natsu823
Why are people crazy and violent after they drink? I'm so lovable.
Yokota
@dcog9065 " You can bet foreigners will have a slightly harder time picking up taxis for the next few weeks if they appear even slightly drunk"
You know Japan very well...congrats.
thepersoniamnow
@Iomae
If this news article contributes towards more negativity towards foreigners, you can probably rest assured those particular people never liked you to begin with and never will.
sensei258
Wow, love how the taxi driver nailed him
Disillusioned
Alcohol consumption enhances personality traits. Therefor, someone who acts crazy and violent when they are drunk are already crazy and violent.
SaikoPhysco
Just a straight out idiot....
therougou
Brave of the taxi driver to go after him. The guy must have been too hammered to pose a real threat.
WA4TKG
" I was Drunk " >....no, sorry, that only works for Locals.
SaikoPhysco
I wonder.... since the rumor is that many Taxi Companies are affiliated with organized crime, in the case a Citizen did such a thing.... would they call the Cops first or the Yaks?
Rachel Sims
So you're telling me that if I were to visit Japan, caught a cab then realized my wallet was missing therefore asked the cab driver to pull over, if he didn't speak English and wouldn't physically let me leave without paying..if I were to defend myself, I'd be arrested for assault and robbery?
Strangerland
Potentially.
Why should the driver let you leave without paying?
Ex_Res
The penny has probably dropped by now. Mr.kanoa has probably realised that in Japan there is one law for Japanese and another law for non-Japanese.
I wonder what his fine / compensation settlement will be incomparison to what the locals would pay. I would say more.
Chop Chop
Police quoted Kanoa as saying he couldn’t remember the incident because he was drunk.
I was thinking for writing comment about his answers for attacking Taxi driver and not paying Taxi fee during the reading this new but he answered my thought of what he will answer to Police in the end of the story. I remember what happened and what we talk about last night even I drowned half bottle of Scotch before dinner and two bottles of Beer in evening and a glass of Chardonnay after dinner. Put him in the jail and he will remember what he has done.
gogogo
Yes.
Rachel Sims
"Why should the driver let you leave without paying?"
Compassion and understanding that people every now and then have bad luck. The language barrier seems to be a big issue here, and possibly an anti-foreigner mindset. The cabbie could have just let him out, wished him luck in finding his wallet and his way home, and to have a nice stay in beautiful Japan. Where's the compassion?Goodlucktoyou
6500yen for a taxi! That's 70bucks! I would not be happy if I was punched and robbed.
Strangerland
You can't use a service then ask for compassion after the fact. If needs to be requested ahead of time. If you are on hard times and appeal to compassion ahead of time, it's understandable. If you wait until afterwards it's theft.
Rachel Sims
In America, people often are rewarded for help in finding a wallet. If the cabbie had responded to the situation with an act of kindness, instead of anger, he would most likely have been paid what was owed and then some. It pays to be patient.
Strangerland
In Japan as well.
First off, there is nothing in the story to say the guy lost his wallet. Second, if the guy had paid his cab fair, he likely would have been let out without being driven to a police station. Third, if the guy discovered he didn't have his wallet, rather than attacking the cab driver in an attempt to escape, he should have gone in, got a translator, and worked out a way to pay the cab driver for his services.
You seem to be criticizing the driver refusing an attempt at forced compassion. It doesn't work that way. Compassion needs to be requested, not demanded.
Akula
Oh well I guess this man's stay in Japan will be rather short lived.
AramaTaihenNoYouDidnt
Do the crime…pay the time!