July 1, 2026
The Zushi City Assembly (Kanagawa Pref.) on June 25 unanimously adopted a Japanese Communist Party-drafted opinion statement demanding that a U.S. soldier swiftly apologize to and compensate the victims of the assault incident he committed.
The incident occurred in the city in July 2022. The U.S. serviceman stationed at the U.S. Yokosuka base attacked four people one after another in the street. In the criminal trial, he was sentenced to two years and four months in prison, suspended for four years. In the civil trial, he was ordered to pay a total of about 16 million yen in compensation to the four victims. However, the perpetrator returned to the United States before the trials and has neither apologized nor paid the stipulated compensation.
The Zushi City Assembly in its document demanded that in the case of nonpayment of the stipulated compensation by the U.S. soldier, the U.S. forces should be held responsible for making the payment. The city assembly also called for providing U.S. military personnel with thorough education aimed t complying with Japan’s domestic laws, tightening discipline, and taking preventive steps to curtail criminal actions.
JCP assembly person Iwamuro Toshiharu who drafted the opinion statement said, “Even after four years, no apology or compensation have been made. Such an avoidance and disregard of justice is totally unacceptable.”
Past related articles:
> US soldier sentenced to 28 months in prison for attacking and injuring 4 people [September 28, 2024]
> Random attacks involving US serviceman occurs in Kanagawa's Zushi City [September 7, 2022]
The incident occurred in the city in July 2022. The U.S. serviceman stationed at the U.S. Yokosuka base attacked four people one after another in the street. In the criminal trial, he was sentenced to two years and four months in prison, suspended for four years. In the civil trial, he was ordered to pay a total of about 16 million yen in compensation to the four victims. However, the perpetrator returned to the United States before the trials and has neither apologized nor paid the stipulated compensation.
The Zushi City Assembly in its document demanded that in the case of nonpayment of the stipulated compensation by the U.S. soldier, the U.S. forces should be held responsible for making the payment. The city assembly also called for providing U.S. military personnel with thorough education aimed t complying with Japan’s domestic laws, tightening discipline, and taking preventive steps to curtail criminal actions.
JCP assembly person Iwamuro Toshiharu who drafted the opinion statement said, “Even after four years, no apology or compensation have been made. Such an avoidance and disregard of justice is totally unacceptable.”
Past related articles:
> US soldier sentenced to 28 months in prison for attacking and injuring 4 people [September 28, 2024]
> Random attacks involving US serviceman occurs in Kanagawa's Zushi City [September 7, 2022]
