A 61-year-old man died after being hit by a car driven by a 20-year-old U.S. Marine in Chatan, Okinawa, on Sunday, police said.
According to police, the incident occurred at around 7:30 a.m. along National Route 58. Local media reported that the vehicle driven by the Marine from the Marine Corps Air Station at Futenma hit a curbstone and went onto the sidewalk. It then struck Katsuya Ishikawa, a security guard from Ginowan City. He was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Police said the accident occurred along a straight stretch of road with good visibility. Police on Monday were questioning the driver about the circumstances leading up to the incident.
© Japan Today
15 Comments
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Yubaru
Guess you have never been here, so to answer your question, no it's not a US territory, it's a prefecture of Japan. And while the SOFA gives the military certain rights not given to an average foreigner in Japan, they do "report" to Japanese law, as per the SOFA agreement.
It's not just the Marines, but all the SOFA status personnel and their families throughout Japan, not just Okinawa.
OssanAmerica
At 7am either he was DUI from a long night out, or he was looking at his phone. Either way a terrible accident and may the victim RIP.
Also my personal opinion is that US military who drive in Japan either with an IDP or SOFA license should be required to take a driving test, just to get used to driving on the left.
Yubaru
Totally agree with this here!
OssanAmerica
Dead wrong on both counts. Okinawa is a Japanese Prefecture. Anywhere outside the bases a Marine is subject to Japanese law. Sometimes one can first face Japanese law then face US military law after it.
3RENSHO
"the vehicle...hit a curbstone" = driver was distracted by a stupidphone
Rodney
Luckily 20 year olds don’t fly F-35s or operate tactical nuclear arms. Who hits a curb stone and kills someone at 7am? US Marines are the best trained operatives in the world. Hope they breath tested.
thepersoniamnow
There is a lot of dangerous driving and racing done in Okinawa.
Hopefully the marines learn from this experience to drive on their best behavior from now.
Doubt it though, 20 year olds will be big kidz…
Alan Harrison
*Also my personal opinion is that US military who drive in Japan either with an IDP or SOFA license should be required to take a driving test, just to get used to driving on the left.*
Absolutely Agree.
Yubaru
And you assume this how?
Legrande
Just another consequence of a US base in Japan.
kaimycahl
@Rodney where is your proof that 20 year olds don't fly F-35's?
Luckily 20 year olds don’t fly F-35s or operate tactical nuclear arms. Who hits a curb stone and kills someone at 7am? US Marines are the best trained operatives in the world. Hope they breath tested.
Lorem ipsum
This question has been dealt with in the past i'm surprised you're still asking. His nationality came up because he's not Japanese. If it were a Japanese, they wouldn't need to mention it since this is Japan. Can you imagine mentioning a Japanese person's nationality every single time they commit a crime in their own country?
As for occupation, this is mentioned in virtually every single article, including Japanese nationals.
factchecker
What relevance is there to the accident in mentioning the fellows nationality and occupation? There's another article on here pointing out the 3 year anniversary of an accident in Shiga which doesn't mention the driver's nationality. More grubby double standards perhaps?
rocketpig
Isnt Okinawa US territory and Japanese in name only? The US Marine only reports to US law