Police in Kasuga, Fukuoka Prefecture, have arrested a 50-year-old Ground Self-Defense Force master sergeant on suspicion of assault after he pushed a 24-year-old ramen restaurant employee to the ground during an altercation with another customer.
According to police, the incident occurred at around 12:30 a.m. on Sunday. Sankei Shimbun reported that the suspect, Tadashi Yokaryo, who is based in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, was residing temporarily in Fukuoka Prefecture for defense force training. Police said he has denied the charge and quoted him as saying, “While I did complain [to the worker], I did not physically assault him.”
Police said the trouble began when Yokaryo got into an argument with another customer in the ramen restaurant, which prompted the male employee to urge them to leave. Once outside, Yokaryo grabbed the employee by the chest and shoved him to the ground in the parking lot.
Another employee witnessed the commotion and called police.
© Japan Today
14 Comments
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toshiko
@serrano private or public defense attorneys don't advice drunk as excuse in any court. He was arrested and eyewitness exists and that is all for right now.
Mocheake
Hope he has that kind of energy to tackle some N. Korean troops..
Ampas
This is news? It must be a quiet day in the news room today.
fds
did the ramen shop employee touch the SDF guy first in anyway? if so they would both be guilty as mutual combatants.
fuzzylogic
"Another employee witnessed the commotion and called police"
J- safety valve
Frederic Bastiat
Allegedly. That word is lost on the kangaroo court of public opinion, isn't it.
Kobe White Bar Owner
Respect my status, "im an arrogant old boy" or else.
englisc aspyrgend
You train soldiers to be aggressive; don't be surprised when they are.
J.T. Washi
Not saying that he was intoxicated, but IF he was, perhaps the employee followed him out to see if he was heading to a taxi or his own vehicle.
john_holthouse
Why did the employee follow them outside? A little silly of him, wouldn't you say? The guy has agreed to leave. It's no longer any business of the employee. Stay inside and do your job, boy (and avoid the life-threatening ordeal of being pushed to the ground)! What a baby.
Wakarimasen
what happened to the word "allegedly' - this has yet to be proven in a court of law.
Monozuki
Sounds like the suspect has an abundance of energy. Hope he makes good use of his fighting spirit in the GSDF training programs or such activities.
sensei258
Millspeak for "I was drunk and don't remember a thing"
Dre Hund
In the old dirt days, people could survive hitting their heads on the ground. This is why we have sports and exercise now. To keep us out of jail.