Do you think the U.S. military in Japan is doing all it can to prevent crimes by its personnel?

As we grow older, the RULES enforcement aRER LAXED. The LEVEL of current military are loweer than desirred levl to hepl the US military recruiting offices in the States. WE dont do enought to screen whho is FIT to serve for our Country. While being "Guest " military personnel overseass., there is too much leeway to let our soldiers have "FUN" ( whta is this ? you are in the Military you guys and gals. YOu are always ON DUTY . This is why you took the Otah to serve for the USA. You go out (only a FEW of you) and cause a 1000 times more damage for the rest of US Forces in other parts of the World. Do you have any brains or evene gave a hooot what the H*** you were thinking at the time? //i.e. "I heard a a voice to stab the Taxi driver ( SECTION C Discharge or 1 yr mental evaluation in other words, UNFIT to serve in the Military". Pls, I was raised in the Military and seen worst.

The upper echelon of brass in DC and the CINC's have too emphasis on trying to look good according to these made up "Philosophical" policy's...

Particularly "homesteading" which forces good people out, who in most cases, don't want to leave, and brings in "youngsters" or others that have no interest in even serving in overseas, i.e... Mr. Nigerian Nat'l scumbag...

By the way, the navy broke several of it's own policy's when they sent this Nigerian guy over, non-citizen's aren't suppose to be assigned overseas on their first term...(but rarely ever enforced)

Also... when the CNFJ says they are doing all they can... This is just LIP service... They won't change a damn thing unless the military undergoes a major shakeup...

The JN government needs to get serious and even though they really can't legally do it, they must try to start bringing charges against those higher ups... I.E... A CNFJ 4 star, The Admiral in Yokosuka, CO of Mr. Nigeria's ship, etc...

They can't by law, actually do it, but it will raise awareness and bring this issue the needed attention of the U.S. public...

Serve CNFJ with papers from the prosecutor, for "Professional Negligence," one count for every serious law broken by a member of U.S. forces...

Invite him down to city hall for a friendly chat and have the police waiting for him... throw his butt in the slammer for a few days to make a point...

This will get U.S. Media attention on the real problem of lazy 'arse' derelict commanders choosing to ignore standards and send scumbags overseas...

While I believe they are doing whatever they CAN, I have to admit that it is not enough. Even though it is only about .00001% (or less) of military members that commit crimes, that is still way to much.

The best thing they can do is revisit the overseas screening policy, and try to improve it.

They can also slam hard on anyone that breaks ANY regulations, policies, etc... Even minor military infractions need to be slammed hard. After all, the squared away Sailor/Marine/Soldier/Airman is not normally the one that eventually gets in trouble. There is usually SOMETHING that shows a disregard for policies. Don't even give them a chance to graduate from breaking policies to breaking laws. Part of this needs to be a change in overseas assignment for REPLACING personnel. If someone gets in trouble, ship 'em out and the assignment authorities should have to jump thru some hoops to get a replacement HERE within 30 or 60 days. This will alleviate commanding officers allowing small minor infractions to slide because they are worried about manning levels (and that is a HUGE concern for shipboard units).

However, locking up CNFJ or USFJ, or even the CO of CFAY or the ship is NOT a very smart move. You'll certainly make a point, but the fallout from arresting someone at this level, without THEM actually committing a crime, would not be worth the point made.

Loki - only about .00001% of military members commit crimes? Some JT posters have been claiming it's around 30%. I think you're closer, though.

Some posters want us to believe that 3 of every 10 military members commit crimes? Put it like this... if a member of the HAWK does a crime, that is one out of a crew of 3200. What would the percentage be if you included the entire base?

3 of 10... simply delusional in their angst and desire to demean the US military.

You can twist facts to your agenda but there is a reason for the bad reputation of the US Millitary. If US Millitary really wanted to cut down on crime lock them up in the bases 24-7. 365 days of the year. They already have their golf cources, PX and all the things you can think of. They do not need to get out of base.

You can twist facts to your agenda but there is a reason for the bad reputation of the US Millitary. If US Millitary really wanted to cut down on crime lock them up in the bases 24-7. 365 days of the year. They already have their golf cources, PX and all the things you can think of. They do not need to get out of base.

I'll pass your suggestion on to all the families you just broke up because they live out in town with their Japanese spouses and would now have to be on bases 24/7. I'm sure they will agree with your suggestion.

Single men should not be allowed to leave then. Thats more than a compromise.

Single men should not be allowed to leave then. Thats more than a compromise.

How do you think those single men meet their Japanese wives in the first place? On Base? Didn't meet mine there. Don't think much of your compromise.

Then US Millitary is not doing enough to prevent crimes are they?

Please tell us how the Military isn't doing enough to prevent crimes? Do you actually believe the Military wants these kind of incidents?????? You don't think they do everything in their power to try and prevent them?

Reality check, no matter what you do there will always be that small element that is going to do something stupid. That is not unique to the military and rather insulting that you would think that it is. Face it your never going to get a zero crime rate, but you can get to a point where it so rare that when it does happens it is front page news, instead of just another everyday occurrence.........mull that one over for moment and maybe it will dawn on you that the military is pretty darn good at crime prevention after all.

Reality check. If American troops are kept off the streets of Japan, Japan is a safer country.

Reality check. If American troops are kept off the streets of Japan, Japan is a safer country.

Reality check. If (insert any group, military, Islamists, Koreans, chinese students ect ) are kept off the streets of Japan. Japan is a safer country.

Weak argument and no basis in reality other than personal bias.

Now, are you bashing the Japanese? No, and you'll say it is because it is THIER country. Your right, it is their country. And even they can't seem to get a handle on the crime running rampant throughout their country. Which just goes to show you that EVERY CULTURE, ORGANIZATION, ETC..., has a small element that commit crimes. And yes, even foriegners on Japanese soil commit crimes.

Your "reality check" is based on a fantasy. The US Military is here to stay. This isn't the wizard of Oz, where if you say it enough times, it comes true. Instead of saying "US off the streets" or "Out of Japan", why don't you try finding a REALISTIC solution and participate in it's fruition?

Besides they are civilians unlike the millitary.

Agreed, and if you directed your 'lock em all up attitude' toward a civilian group such as Koreans or whatever group you want to insert, you would rightfully called a narrow minded prejudiced individual that should have died out with the dinosaurs.

But since you direct that attitude toward people in the U.S Military all of them your 'lock em all up attitude' is the very essence of enlightened liberal modern thinking. I get it now.

US Millitary do already occupy 25% of Okinawa. They occupy the city of Yokosuka and what not on the tax payers expense.

Reality check. If American troops are kept off the streets of Japan, Japan is a safer country.

I agree. The 18-24-year-old age group is the most dangerous. Let's keep them off the streets. We should do the same with the Japanese of the same age group.

If you're looking for a reason that the US military personnel have been stereotyped as brutal thugs, you have no farther than to look at the innate xenophobic attitudes inherent in a homogenous culture. Are crimes committed by US military personnel in Japan? Of course there are, no one debates that. However, anytime this does occur, the story blankets the media where anti-American sentiments can point to it and say, "Look, we told you so! Throw those horrible Americans out!" Exactly the same thing happens in South Korea. What they fail to realize is, that under the SOFA agreement, if the Diet really didn't want the US to maintain bases in Japan, all they have to do is not renew the treaty. But, of course, if that happened, Japan would have to assume responsibility for its own national defense in the face of growing regional assertiveness from China. So there's your options citizens of Japan: live with the US and try not to take every instance of a young fool as an affront to your national honor, or deal with the possibility of Chinese power marginalizing your interests and influence in Asia for perpetuity.

Its the millitary. stupid.

Please tell us how the Military isn't doing enough to prevent crimes? Do you actually believe the Military wants these kind of incidents?????? You don't think they do everything in their power to try and prevent them?

Of course they don't want their people to commit crimes, that's ridiculous...

But they could start with enforcing their own standards that they already have in place, in addition to adding a few extra items to the "overseas screening" process...

How about a "Psyche Eval," this is a great predictor of what kind of behavior you could expect...

They already have a policy that, "non-U.S. citizen" first termer's aren't suppose to be assigned overseas... This is a prime example of Mr. Nigeria...they didn't follow their own regulations..

But the biggest factor is that any standard can be waived because of "needs" of the service.... So take all the rules they have in place regarding standards of individuals for serving overseas and throw them out the window, because they can be waived at any time for needs...

Bottom line, they can do a lot more...

"Reality check. If American troops are kept off the streets of Japan, Japan is a safer country."

now that`s funny!

We should also ask ourselves whether the US military is needed in Japan. I think not. Japan should get rid of the US military.

3rd option please...

one blk Single men change u.s. no way

For those who think the military should just be locked down and never allowed off base, I have to say, that reaction is the same one that military leaders take now which does no good... punish the 99.9% to attempt to get at the .1% who don't have the sense to react properly in the first place. While I have only been in country for 3 months, I haev hearn innumerable military members tell me how wonderful this country is... and how many life-long friendships they have made with Japanese people. It makes no sense to put up walls and lock us all inside.... that would be a loss on both sides of the wall.

Kneejerk reactions like banning alcohol sales after the arrest of the taxi driver killer makes no sense... alcohol wasn't the reason the crime was committed. Banning it was just "publicity stunt" to show something was being done... whether it had anything to do with the crime or not.

As a proud American citizen it pains me to see my fellow countryman commit these crimes and make us all look bad. As a long-time military member, it infuriates me to see service members disgrace our military service. I don't care if it is a result of stupidity, alcohol, or being sociopathic... if you go off base (or even on base) and commit a crime, the individual (once found guilty) should be thrown to the wolves and serve their time in a Japanese jail with no assistance from the U.S.

While I agree that leadership at any level shoud be held accountable for failing to follow established procedures, but beyond that, the individual needs to be held accountable for their actions...

/rant off

No foreign standing armies in Japan! (And that includes Uncle Sam's boys)

Get out: you not wanted or needed. It is only the LDP gerrymandered ruling bloc that keeps the U.S. here. Majority of Japanese do NOT want U.S. military here. When will we have a true democracy?

When will we have a true democracy?

When you vote for one.

"you not wanted or needed"

You know, I haven't heard anything that funny in a very long time. You should come and preach to all my Japanese neighbors. They LOOK Japanese. They sound it. They even have Japanese names. Funny enough, I guess they're not in the majority. Not a single one of them will tell you that we are not wanted or needed. Not a one of them has treated me different than before the murder. Matter of fact, just about every one of them has approached me since he was turned over to the JN's telling me "tai-hen desu ne?" (I just know that spelling is whacked!) or even "good job".

There should be no US military presence in Japan.

Now all that has to happen is for Japan to revise its constitution and create an independent defense capacity to deal with any conceivable threat to its security or interests without recourse to aid from the United States.

Or...

Maybe a few crimes committed by GIs isn't such a high price to pay for security without responsibility after all.

But admitting that the free ride is a pretty good deal would be just so ... humiliating.

Much better to whine about the occasional crime when it comes up than admit to one's own political and military impotence.

I imagine there is a lot of effort to curb crime in the military but maybe the soldiers need to be told that if they commit a crime against a Japanese, they would be put in Fuchu Prison for a period of time, lose their rank and be kicked out of the military. Wow, that might get them thinking but I think they should watch a video of Fuchu Prison to get an idea that it is not a sweet place to go to. I knew an American civilian years ago who had a rather large amount of marijuana stashed in a locker in Shinjuku. He was caught and sent to Fuchu prison. I believe he was there about a year and later sent back to the States.

Another thought is if alcohol is not often a reason that crimes are committed at all. I know I did some pretty crazy things under the influence when I was younger. Do not think they were actual crimes, but I am lucky someone did not bop me a good one the way I acted when I had one too many.

I think we could go back and forth on this subject, but there will always be an isolated case or incident that will crop up no matter what kind of discipline is enforced. This goes for people in the army as well as not military people.