U.S. Marine arrested over assault in Okinawan bar

So, he can use the usual JAPANESE Defense: "I was DRUNK and don't remember".

Two punks trying to take on a marine got more than they bargained for and then realising their inability; called the cops?

Losers…

A bar fight on Friday night where no one was hurt?

Surely something more juicy happened in Japan the last three days...

It happens; **leave him alone **(!)

Just walk away fellas. Nobody wants to spend 23 days in a hellishly hot police detention cell.

Surely something more juicy happened in Japan the last three days...

Top news for those that overreact and will be commenting how the entire U.S. military should pack up and leave Japan because of this.

The drunk sergeant needs a few days in jail to cool off.

Here’s a thing!

Marines go through an intensive training which teaches self control.

Does the average Japanese?

Having met marines in bars and having had a completely violence free (100% of the time) encounter then I can only surmise that the Japanese were being unreasonable.

They are lucky that the marine was ….a marine!

If the marine was being a dick then why didn’t the bar owner call the police?

The marine was drunk which can lead to violence. Apologize, pay compensation, and move on.

Marines go through an intensive training which teaches self control.

which training was apparently wasted on this particular Marine.

The marine was drunk which can lead to violence. Apologize, pay compensation....

...go home and repeat that intensive training. Or find a different job.

The police were called by the J-guy's buddy...not the bar owner. That would suggest as others have said, that the guy was giving it large to the marine. Those who think the marine was at fault need to reread it. The marine was in a bar having a drink. Of course, alcohol would be present, and perhaps the overzealous keystones arrested him for drunkenness. Do drunks ever go quietly and willingly?

Yep, the cops will come down on the Japanese guy's side. That's just how it is here init?

Wallace, service people who commit crimes on American street,are prosecuted by the local court,the military has no say in their prosecution

Marines need to understand the political situation here in Japan and be very careful when drinking off base.

Manny , drinking is not a right in the military,American in Islamic country are forbidden to drink

I bet the guy who got his face mushed into the counter will never say that again...

Just sayin'

Are they here for defending or for fun, drinking in bars and violent disputes? Don’t tell me that it was in his leisure time. The leisure time of a soldier is always meant to be for regaining his physical strength needed for the job he subscribed for.

I'm going to agree with kurisupisu. The number of times Japanese guys have tried to pick fights with me, challenge me to an arm wrestle, ask about my penis size and a whole hell of a lot of other things that I shouldn't say here leads me to believe that the most likely scenario is that they started something with the foreigner- especially if the Marine was big. For some strange reason real skinny wimpy guys here to tend to pick fights with foreigners especially if they are big. That has been my drinking experience here.

However, it is possible like RiskyMosaic said that the Marine was being a jerk and belligerent. Without more info we will never know what transpired.

At the end of the day, it doesn't matter, because the foreigner will always be found guilty no matter what when there is an altercation with a local- especially if the foreigner was drinking.

Marines go through an intensive training which teaches self control.

Funny thing about Marines. I’ve seen Marines guarding a checkpoint in a war zone stand unflinching while being pelted with rocks and yelled at by locals. I’ve seen Marines laughing while taking pot shots from bad guys for hours, waiting for authorization to counterattack.

However, I’ve also seen a Marine punch a guy who he never met and never talked to because “he looks like a (old English word for bundle of sticks).”

Generally though, Marines will get into fights with other Marines but rarely with civilians.

Sven Asai

Today 11:10 am JST

Are they here for defending or for fun, drinking in bars and violent disputes? Don’t tell me that it was in his leisure time. The leisure time of a soldier is always meant to be for regaining his physical strength needed for the job he subscribed for.

Marines, and the military in general, are not 'subscribed' nor do they spend their entire leisure time 'regaining physical strength,' whatever that means. They are humans and like to spend their leisure time doing various activities with the vast majority staying completely of trouble. Damn near anything negative that happens with one of them is usually headline news on Okinawa as most of us on this site know all too well. The governor will probably be weighing in soon and protests may follow, meanwhile crime committed by locals will generally be ignored.

I think a key point here is the time.

5:10 am.

Can't imagine either party were in a fit state.

Always remember this... In Japan if you're in an altercation with someone you should right away report it to the Police. Generally the Japanese Police will side with he who reports first.

Funny to identify drunkedness with violence. If the marine had been violent, head would be smashed. I would say he was very careful as not to injure him.

It's pretty clear from the comments who is current or former US military. US forces in Japan are guests, not occupiers.

banging someone's head into a bar counter is violent.

Here’s a thing!

Marines go through an intensive training which teaches self control.

Yep They can never be screwed. All those crimes and incidents by them which got reported and prosecuted/judged at the courts are just all fake

Its impressive a bar still open after 5am on a thursday night.

Only trouble happens after that time .

I was in the military and had been in/seen plenty of fights with marines - for the most stupid reasons with zero self control displayed by the marines, or the other side.

…

Why should Marines hold back when they are attacked?

I wouldn’t…

They should both have been arrested.

Why do you assume the marines were attacked first?

Why do you assume that they were not?

I can understand an 18 or 19 year old Marine going through hard training to fight and kill people letting off a little steam, but a 28 year old Sargent???

Okinawa has been struggling with the behaviour of some individulas of the US forces.

Seems like endless story and there is no solution.

Like a former 374th Airlift Wing commander at Yokota AB once said: “Nothing good happens after midnight in the night life”.

I avoided all establishments frequented by Americans.

Alcohol becomes your master if you do not keep it in check.

Avoid drinking the cheap happoshu, and mixing it with Okinawan Awamori. It will make you do things that you will later regret.

I was with the 1956th Comm Group, at Yokota back in the 80's... I frequented "Bar Row" here and there, but usually on my way back from partying in Shinjiku, Akasaka Mitsuke, or Roppongi. I really don't remember seeing any fights, we were pretty docile. Good times though... but then again, one's 20's usually are.

I was a marine back in the late 76s in Oki, and there were some bad apples out there. I had to go solo and would rather go on my own than becoming an accomplice. In the 80s I was at Yokota in the Air Force, and stayed completely away from bar row, Shinjuku or Roppongi. Had some Japanese friends in Akishima and never had any issues.

Just saw the incident report on this. The Marine and the customer were joking around and then after the Marine fell off the chair he got up and pushed the customers head down on the bar. They both were laughing then the friend who spoke English said the Marine disrespected his friend. The customer was saying in Japanese it's fine no issue, but the friend then called the Ishikawa Police who came with four policemen and promptly arrested the Marine. That's it.

This wouldn't even be in the news if it wasn't US military.

Always remember this... In Japan if you're in an altercation with someone you should right away report it to the Police. Generally the Japanese Police will side with he who reports first.

The J-police also tend to side with the person who physically look like they lost. That is usually the J-instigator!

Just saw the incident report on this. The Marine and the customer were joking around and then after the Marine fell off the chair he got up and pushed the customers head down on the bar. They both were laughing then the friend who spoke English said the Marine disrespected his friend. The customer was saying in Japanese it's fine no issue, but the friend then called the Ishikawa Police who came with four policemen and promptly arrested the Marine. That's it.

Sounds like this “Friend” is a bit of a Karen.

If the police report, witness testimonies, and PMO investigation add up, he’s getting off scot-free.

If the police report, witness testimonies, and PMO investigation add up, he’s getting off scot-free

Unfortunately he won't get out scot-free. He is being charged still by the Ishikawa Police for Drunk and Disorderly and by the military police for violating the liberty campaign policy for being out in the wee hours drinking.

Just saw the incident report on this. The Marine and the customer were joking around and then after the Marine fell off the chair he got up and pushed the customers head down on the bar. They both were laughing then the friend who spoke English said the Marine disrespected his friend. The customer was saying in Japanese it's fine no issue, but the friend then called the Ishikawa Police who came with four policemen and promptly arrested the Marine. That's it.

It seems like the friend was upset because they were the 3-wheel. Was his Japanese friend being ignored? Wanted to be a part of the cool crowd, too?

Just saw the incident report on this. The Marine and the customer were joking around and then after the Marine fell off the chair he got up and pushed the customers head down on the bar. They both were laughing then the friend who spoke English said the Marine disrespected his friend. The customer was saying in Japanese it's fine no issue, but the friend then called the Ishikawa Police who came with four policemen and promptly arrested the Marine. That's it.

The Japanese caller seems to be jealous that their Japanese friend was being cool with the Marine and ignoring them. Jealousy is a common theme in a group centered country like Japan. China is even worse! Japanese men are equally as emotional as women with less self-control when alcohol is involved. I bet the caller was also drinking a lot, too!

I have seen jealousy rear its ugly head with Japanese men in professional and personal settings. Wasn't Ghosn arrested for that exact reason?

Today 08:06 am JST

“ Just saw the incident report on this. The Marine and the customer were joking around and then after the Marine fell off the chair he got up and pushed the customers head down on the bar. They both were laughing then the friend who spoke English said the Marine disrespected his friend. The customer was saying in Japanese it's fine no issue, but the friend then called the Ishikawa Police who came with four policemen and promptly arrested the Marine. That's it. “

“ That’s it “; In other words, he shouldn’t have been arrested, but(!), as we can see, my comment was heavily downvoted which makes this whole comment section even more interesting, heheh. People love to tell stories and make theories. :)

Unfortunately he won't get out scot-free. He is being charged still by the Ishikawa Police for Drunk and Disorderly 

I don’t think DAD public drunkenness is a criminal offense in Japan. If he scuffled with the cops he can be charged with obstruction of police duties, but if he’s just drunk and rowdy, but didn’t assault anyone or cause damage to property, I don’t think they can charge him with anything other than prefectural “public nuisance” ordinances, if they even exist for DAD.

@rcch where did you see this incident report?

DavidCoToday  01:15 am JST

@rcch where did you see this incident report?

It is gaijinkurd who saw it. So where did you see this report?

gaijinkurdOct. 4  08:06 am JST

Just saw the incident report on this. The Marine and the customer were joking around and then after the Marine fell off the chair he got up and pushed the customers head down on the bar. They both were laughing then the friend who spoke English said the Marine disrespected his friend. The customer was saying in Japanese it's fine no issue, but the friend then called the Ishikawa Police who came with four policemen and promptly arrested the Marine. That's it.