Murdered Okinawa woman's family to seek compensation from U.S. gov't

Seek the Money from the Japanese Govt., because believe me, if the central Govt. didn't want U.S. Forces in Okinawa, they wouldn't be there. The Philippine Govt. kicked U.S. Forces out of their country many years ago.

I wish that Japan would order the U.S military out, it would save us Billions of dollars and we wouldn't have to worry about our service members being killed protecting Japanese that don't want us there, and have fun spending more than 1% of your GDP (what Japan spends now) building up your own SDF/military so it can protect the country.

And see how well things worked out for the Philippines that has been trying to get the U.S military to come back for the past couple of years because of rising fear of China which is also a factor for Japan but also throw in increased tensions with North Korea for good measure.

Good luck with that! There is no way the US government is financially responsible for what that bastard did.

There is no way the US government is financially responsible for what that bastard did.

Maybe so, but it could be argued that due to this arsehole being under the SOFA the US is directly responsible. If he had been a civilian living here under a Japanese visa status then no the government wouldn't be even closely involved.

Seeing as how the court has already agreed to the amount, even though it has not been disclosed, one or the other, or maybe both, Japanese and US governments are going to end up paying eventually.

Many people around the world believe the USA pressures various countries to accept their Military Forces but the truth is those countries want them or that it is a trade off for other things the U.S. Govt. does to benefit those countries. No one in their right mind would want a foreign military in their own country unless there was a reason. In Japan's case... since the end of WWII, S. Korea and China didn't want Japan to re-arm itself but Japan still needed to have some sort of a protective umbrella and the USA performed that role. Currently Japan is beginning to strengthen its Military capabilities and when it feels it is capable of countering a large scale attack by itself then Japan will no longer need a U.S. presence anywhere in their country. I look forward to that day but until then... unfortunate events like this happen, I wish every American Service Member was perfect along with those contracted to work at the various bases but, of course, they are not. I think, if someone is to be "sued", it should be the Japanese Government because it still needs the U.S. Military. Japan should properly re-arm itself and send U.S. Forces back to the USA.

Life in prison, should hang the pond scum!

I would actually like to see the US government pay the reparations to the victim's family and without any sort of legal influence. Maybe nothing will ever fix the animosity some Okinawans feel toward the US military, but acknowledging even some responsibility for this tragedy, he was a US contractor after all, might be a good first step.

@DAaron

"Japanese that don't want us there" and that "Kenneth Franklin Shinzato, 34" has socially impacted those males of his ethnicity; civilians in J-land, by JNs who think in terms of race.

@pudus "has socially impacted those males of his ethnicity"

I read in other places that black males felt targeted by such.

So, the criminal says he wasn't intending to kill her? Just wanted to rape her I assume? That bastard should be castrated, physically, not chemically.

Wait a minute, this guy was a non-SOFA status member at the time of the crime and hired by a contract company to support a task order at a US base. You don't expect for example an employee who would commit the same crime and happens to work for Toyota, Misubushi or Hitachi make the company pay for the crime would you? No of course not. The GOJ at this time would be compensating the family in some part. The guy is over 20 yrs. old so the family wouldn't pay, but smart on the ex to divorce him. No the bases or US military forces are at no fault in this case.  The guy with the Visa status and residence card could just have easily been working for a company that had nothing to do with any US base.

Wait a minute, this guy was a non-SOFA status member at the time of the crime and hired by a contract company to support a task order at a US base.

> Exactly, why dont they sue the contractor?

This guy is already locked up perchance perpetually

I get it aim at the US bases in Okinawa, and the US government--sectarianism indeed, and added to the growing bulk of the anti-base agenda

>

The fact is he was working for the US military in occupied Okinawa.

Why he causes stress for the poor family

Wait a minute, this guy was a non-SOFA status member at the time of the crime 

He was given SOFA status when he was hired by the contractor. Even the PM here did not understand why he was under the SOFA.

During a visit to Okinawa, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called it “questionable” that employees like Gadson were SOFA-sponsored.

https://www.stripes.com/news/us-japan-forge-agreement-on-civilian-base-workers-legal-status-1.446116

The fact is he was working for the US military in occupied Okinawa.

You have no idea what you are talking about, Okinawa is certainly NOT occupied, and tossing this lie out here so nonchalantly does more harm than good for people who really are not aware of the situation.

Why he causes stress for the poor family

Let's not forget that there are a couple of more victims here as well, the wife and baby daughter. As the mother , every time she looks at her child, that her child's father is a convicted murderer.

It would be a nice good will gesture if the US government pays the family.

"It would be a good gesture if the US Govt. pays the family." Why? All lawsuits come down to ultimate responsibility. Who is the most responsible for that person being in Okinawa? It is not the U.S. Government, because the they are in Okinawa by invitation only. Do Okinawan's vote in U.S. Elections? Did they elect Donald Trump? No, of course is the answer. People seem to think that because the U.S. Government can be more readily sued than the Japanese Government that they should do so. All that proves is that you have more sway over U.S. Government actions in the courts than you would versus the Japanese Government. Sue the Japanese Government... they control Okinawa not the USA.

 Who is the most responsible for that person being in Okinawa? It is not the U.S. Government, because the they are in Okinawa by invitation only.

Your logic is off base, just because someone is "invited" does not mean they "have" to go! Also never forget it isn't just "Okinawa" it's Japan.

Oh another thing, the Okinawan's didn't invite Shinzato either! He was originally ordered here by the US government!

This claim is based on Japanese law, so it should be made to the Japanese government and through Japanese courts. Then, the Japanese government can pursue a refund from the US.

Don't forget to warn the ungrateful people here how China/DPRK/Mars will invade Japan, should the US military leave.

Sarcasm aside, the family should seek compensation from both the US and the Japanese govt. The latter for allowing the occupiers to remain here.

How many more lives will be devestated by their presence?

@Yubaru... come on.... the Philippine Government basically kicked U.S. Forces out of the country over 20 years ago. You mean to tell me that Japan could not have done the same if it wanted to? Ultimately... U.S. Forces are in Japan only due to Japan's continued need / want of them. Sue the Japanese Government... but the Japanese know that'll get them no where... so they sue the USA because they know the Headlines will be bigger.

the Philippine Government basically kicked U.S. Forces out of the country over 20 years ago. You mean to tell me that Japan could not have done the same if it wanted to? Ultimately... U.S. Forces are in Japan only due to Japan's continued need / want of them. Sue the Japanese Government... but the Japanese know that'll get them no where... so they sue the USA because they know the Headlines will be bigger.

First off get things right, the Philippine government and the US government failed to reach and agreement on a new lease and security agreement. That is a hell of a lot different that getting up one morning and telling your guest to get out. (figuratively speaking )

So please dont use the same argument, because it does not fit in this case here. When the Japanese government chooses to not renew the leases, or chooses to end the security agreement, of if the US also chooses to pull out, then it's over. But neither is going to happen anytime soon as having the bases here is mutually beneficial.

The US because of the SOFA treaty, and because Gadson, (heard his wife got divorced so it's back to his maiden name for him) was "protected" under the SOFA at the time of the crime, have some responsibility as well,

but the Japanese know that'll get them no where... so they sue the USA because they know the Headlines will be bigger.

Please get things straight, the "Japanese" are not the one's taking this to court. It's the family of the victim. This part of your comment was at best, in poor taste and disrespectful to those involved.

The company where he work for should pay not the US Government.

@ Yubaru... not reaching the "agreement"... come on, it was the same as kicking the U.S. out. So are you saying that Japan cannot ask U.S. Forces to leave if it wants to? If Abe made an announcement... even unilaterally, that Japan wants U.S. Forces out in 2 or 3 years... guess what, they are gone. Japan controls their presence in Japan... therefore Japan has responsibility for any monetary damages.

. not reaching the "agreement"... come on, it was the same as kicking the U.S. out. So are you saying that Japan cannot ask U.S. Forces to leave if it wants to? If Abe made an announcement... even unilaterally, that Japan wants U.S. Forces out in 2 or 3 years... guess what, they are gone. Japan controls their presence in Japan... therefore Japan has responsibility for any monetary damages.

You need to do a little research on the time in question regarding what happened in the PI around the time the bases left.

The rest is academic, as anyone can make suppositions about what could happen. Reality is different.

But as long as the bases remain, the US gave this guy SOFA status, not the Japanese government, so, the US is also liable.

re: He was given SOFA status when he was hired by the contractor. Even the PM here did not understand why he was under the SOFA.

During a visit to Okinawa, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called it “questionable” that employees like Gadson were SOFA-sponsored.

It would depend on the what is in the specification of the contract award and his current living status. By his surname and US name, Shinzato and he was married to a local national it only means that without a job he had changed his name to obtain permanent status and on a spouse VISA.  He abused the system if his contract did not include SOFA and therefor should face US charges for defrauding the US gov.

SaikoPhyscoToday  06:59 am JST

Seek the Money from the Japanese Govt., because believe me, if the central Govt. didn't want U.S. Forces in Okinawa, they wouldn't be there. The Philippine Govt. kicked U.S. Forces out of their country many years ago.

Sorry my friend, the Philippine Government did not kick the U.S. government out, they ask for an unattainable $$$ amount for the U.S. to retain her Military presents. This following their last SOPA increase was become atune to Blackmail and did not make for continued good faith relations, therefore all American military forces were relocated. Their lose was another country’s gain. Military installations around the world provide jobs and increased economic growth to the areas their located, no matter how you choose to look at it.

If this murder happened outside the USA military compound, then it is not under USA juristiction, I would have thought.

. By his surname and US name, Shinzato and he was married to a local national it only means that without a job he had changed his name to obtain permanent status and on a spouse VISA. He abused the system if his contract did not include SOFA and therefor should face US charges for defrauding the US gov.

You don't need to change your name to your Japanese spouses name to get PR. And he had both a visa, (not VISA btw,m that's a credit card) status, and SOFA. Changing his name had nothing to do with what you are thinking here.

One other thing too, if he had pr status in Japan, he wouldn't need a spouse visa, he was under a spouse visa at the time, as he had not been living here long enough to get pr status.

Because of him and this murder, there was a huge stink raised, but not reported upon here, about the folks who carried both pr or spouse visa status and SOFA at the same time, which is technically illegal.

The loop hole got shut, and the folks who have Japanese visa status and SOFA had to make a choice.

He didn't defraud the US, technically speaking he was defrauding the Japanese government by not notifying them of his change in status to SOFA. It was a failure of communication between both sides.

Hiis last names is His wife's. He is American. The lawyers seem they know American custom of lawsuit.

Their lawyers. are sueing USA and they may win. But obtaining money is questionable. Expected sales of AEGIS ASHORE PFC3, Japan cancelled after Hawaii goofing revealed it's push button system, not air detection. Aside that, Japan hasn't buying any US military weapons. Trump. Phoned Abe to invest in USA and he said Abe promised Abe will invest in USA but Abe did not. So, there is no money to pay families. They are sueing USA which is almost bankrupted. Last time, China helped but not this time.

This murderer is avoiding death sentence. We have to wait next criminal court as this lawsuit is in civil case..

Toshiko

Names would not be relevant. Like I say, the crime was commited in Japans jurisdiction.

@Ex : Then why some comment writers insist his ethnicity?

Toshiko

I don't know. Again ethinciy is not issue when it comes down to jurisdiction. This case is under Japanese juristiction as it happened outside the USA military compound.