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Man who refused to wear mask on plane arrested again after trouble in restaurant

43 Comments

A man who was arrested for forcible obstruction of business after a plane he was on last September had to divert to another airport when he got into a dispute with cabin crew over his refusal to wear a mask, is in trouble with the law again.

Police said Junya Okuno, 34, of no fixed occupation, was arrested on Saturday after he punched a police officer who had been called to an eatery in Tateyama, Chiba Prefecture, Sankei Shimbun reported. The manager said that when Okuno entered the restaurant to have lunch, he was asked to wear a mask but he refused. When the manager asked Okuno to leave, a dispute ensued. Another customer called the police.

When a policeman arrived at around 12:50 p.m., Okuno lost his temper and punched the 38-year-old officer in the face, according to witnesses.

Police said Okuno has been charged with assault and again with forcible obstruction of business. Police said Okuno has refused to speak about the incident.

In the first incident last Sept 7, Okuno was aboard a Peach Aviation flight from Kushiro to Osaka. When a flight attendant asked him to wear a mask, he refused. He then started yelling at the woman and shoved her, injuring her elbow in the process. The flight was diverted to Niigata where he was offloaded for being a safety risk and arrested.

Okuno also was involved in a dispute at a Nagano hotel in November when he approached a restaurant buffet, without wearing a mask. He and the restaurant manager got into an argument and Okuno left the restaurant.

Okuno was arrested for the Peach Aviation incident in January after the airline filed a formal complaint with police. However, Osaka prosecutors released him on Jan 22, pending his trial.

© Japan Today

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43 Comments
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Fault of the Osaka prosecutors who released him despite him being a menace to society. Lock him up already or the next time we’ll hear that this same man has killed someone!

29 ( +35 / -6 )

How many times does this guy have to arrested for the Police to take FURTHER actions. He obviously has not learned anything...

28 ( +31 / -3 )

This manchild needs to learn the hard way then.

22 ( +25 / -3 )

There are many things I dislike about America, but one I do appreciate is the willingness of people to stand up to other's misbehavior. Somebody ought to knock this guy down to the pavement; it might change his attitude and be quite beneficial to him.

14 ( +19 / -5 )

Sometimes the worst advice you can give to someone is "Just be yourself."

12 ( +13 / -1 )

It is a grownup with a childish and selfish mindset. That he may disagree with rules or requests is something he may do at home. There are people we care about their health.

This person need mental support because something is really wrong with him.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

Some people can’t wear masks maybe he couldn’t. What happens in that case it’s discriminatory. Just like the dumb vaccine passports they’re thinking about implementing.

Crybaby.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

I hate masks from the bottom of my heart but if a business owner/manager of a premise I must be at verbally requests me to wear one, I immediately comply no questions asked. This man child should be locked up until we're done with this nonsense if that ever happen.

9 ( +13 / -4 )

Not dealt properly the first time, or the second time so this guy thinks he's got a free pass. He needs to get the book thrown at him, maybe literally too.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

So if he has no fixed address, but is flying around on airplanes, who is supporting him.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Sometimes the worst advice you can give to someone is "Just be yourself."

lol

I wonder if he'll wear a mask during his 20-some day holding.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

What a waste of time, energy, resources, all this over a looser who does NOT want to wear a mask, should be locked for a while, may be that's what he wants since he is unemployed and may be homeless and out of luck!!

6 ( +9 / -3 )

Hurrah! to every professional, working person who ever encountered this person. Many additional details previously covered Dec 4 about the dinner and breakfast incidents.

- https://japantoday.com/category/national/man-who-forced-plane-to-land-in-japan-by-refusing-to-wear-mask-continues-stance-at-hotel -

The professionalism and restraint shown by the management, dining room & kitchen staff, and the TEN officers than eventually responded to his uproarious behavior is exemplary . In true customer service form, they graciously deducted both meals from his hotel bill.

- https://japantoday.com/category/crime/man-arrested-after-refusing-to-wear-mask-on-plane-refuses-to-wear-mask-in-custody-

His ‘self-anointed’ in the article above is also very telling.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Some people can’t wear masks maybe he couldn’t. 

Literally anyone capable of breathing is able to wear a mask.

The world is full of unintelligent people. Do us all a favor and don’t be one of them.

6 ( +7 / -1 )

Why is he not in prison?

5 ( +8 / -3 )

An unshakeable anarchist!

4 ( +6 / -2 )

I kind of wish this guy was served with a six-month banishment from physically engaging with any private entity, business or individual, under penalty of fine for both him and the private entity. Essentially a public shunning. Unfortunately this is too much of a hassle to enforce, so four months of house arrest under quarantine conditions would have to do.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Don’t spend another yen on this cretin. Send him home to his mom and his manga collection

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Another example where a short sharp beat down would help to help adjust his attitude. If that failed then repeat until it does.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

What a waste of time, energy, resources, all this over a looser who does NOT want to wear a mask, should be locked for a while, may be that's what he wants since he is unemployed and may be homeless and out of luck!!

Or he may be independently wealthy. Either way, the article doesn't say. Hit him with a ¥500,000 fine. Maybe that will get his attention?

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Something wrong with this man. The problem is not , not wearing a mask but something in his behavior.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Some people can’t wear masks maybe he couldn’t. What happens in that case it’s discriminatory. Just like the dumb vaccine passports they’re thinking about implementing.

I have never met anyone with a legitimate reason to not wear masks. My parents, both in medical field before retirement, do not know of any real medical condition that would prevent someone wearing one. If for some reason they did have a condition that prevented wearing a mask, they are among the first people that shouldn't be going out at all to begin with because they are obviously very high risk.

These people are an absolute menace. Not because they are putting themselves at risk, that would be their choice, but everyone else around them. This isn't a personal choice matter, because mask-wearing is most effective at protecting those around you, not you yourself. Not wearing a mask has a negligible effect on your own health, but very negatively impacts every person you come into contact with.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Why is he not in prison?

What do you think will happen, if he also doesn’t wear masks there? lol

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Chinpira.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

A lot of guys like this from all countries, as is proven by many of the comments above.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@Chili

Some people can’t wear masks maybe he couldn’t. What happens in that case it’s discriminatory.

What happens in that case is that he should order delivery and eat at home. This is no great hardship, at least until this situation passes. He has been asked to do something reasonable by a private business that has the right to ask people to do that. He has the right to take his custom elsewhere.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I think the guy wants publicity more than anything. We will read about him again.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The manager said that when Okuno entered the restaurant to have lunch, he was asked to wear a mask but he refused.

I have no sympathy for this Okuno character, who clearly has anger management problems, but what is up with a mask mandate in a restaurant? How are the customers supposed to eat?

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Just brand him already, bar him from society, make him walk in the streets to avoid infecting people on the sidewalks. Strip him of civil liberties and human dignity. Shame him, cancel him.

I think arresting him is probably enough. Don't do the crime if you can't do the time.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

There are many things I dislike about America, but one I do appreciate is the willingness of people to stand up to other's misbehavior. 

The unfortunate part is we get a lot of practice at standing up to other's misbehavior. One thing I like about Japan is we don't get so much practice.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

If only that were a legally viable option....

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Didn't he also get thrown out of a test center for not covering up his mouth?

This Junya Okuno is becoming somewhat of an anti-hero of mine.

-4 ( +14 / -18 )

I hope they tossed the food at the buffet into a dust bin. I would have asked for my money back and left.

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

Does anybody remember the good old days just over a year ago when certain restaurants and establishments would reuse entry to foreigners, especially Chinese? My, my my, how things have changed.

-11 ( +4 / -15 )

Some people can’t wear masks maybe he couldn’t. What happens in that case it’s discriminatory. Just like the dumb vaccine passports they’re thinking about implementing.

-24 ( +3 / -27 )

Okuno is just expressing that he will likely not put up with a totalitarian system of mask lovers.

-51 ( +14 / -65 )

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