I don’t really understand why a major broadcaster in CNN would celebrate the release of someone responsible for two deaths due to negligence, with Utah senator Mike Lee saying Japan owes Ridge Alkonis an apology.
He was held after his crime at a US Navy base, not by North Korea. It’s bewildering.
Anyway, question is, what is everyone’s take on the story and how can the US prevent base personnel from committing crimes in Japan and then fleeing rightful punishment?
by Royal-Aspect-1090
25 comments
Alkonis didn’t flee rightful punishment, Japan released him to US custody. Obviously this was a mistake since the US have gone on to release him but it was a legal transfer.
I too am bewildered why the CNN are celebrating. His wife can use the word “unforeseen medical emergency” all she likes but they were not able to prove that in the investigation. Especially since Alkonis admitted he felt unwell and continued driving for five minutes and then the accident happened.
As for her criticism of his treatment pre trial I have more sympathy for her complaints there however depressingly his treatment wasn’t any different than the treatment a Japanese citizen would get. While there should be more public pressure against Japans insane criminal justice system to act like Alkonis in particular was treated badly is just not true.
Alkonis did commit the crime he was accused of and frankly deserved to do jail time. Three years in prison after killing three people, even if it’s an accident, is nothing.
Is parole ever granted in Japan, or is it a legal myth?
I mean, why is the American army even IN Japan??
World War 2 ended what, 80 years ago? Are they gonna just hang out there forever? Japan is their biggest ally in East Asia, the idea they need a bunch of military here to make sure the Emperor doesn’t go all imperial again is absolute nonsense.
My opinons
1. What is not elaborated is that they apparently paid something like several billion yen for this.
2. As a Japanese, I really hope Biden loses the next election. This senile twit made his stance clear that our country is not a equal partner by bailing criminals like this. I can’t trust him to hold the pact between our countries especially a crucial military one. Yeah, in my eyes he is **America first, common justice second.**
So he was in a military, and in a foreign country. American exceptionalism and heroism must be applied. Too many media depict the American soldiers as innocent and just people that get unfairly caught up in a troubling situation by their adversaries in a foreign country, and then get heroically rescued by their fellow Americans.
Facts are that he committed a crime, convicted of said crime, was serving the punishment for that crime, then the US took him back and immediately released him.
Personally, he received a briefing on the rules and cautions of driving in Japan. All military members get this briefing. He chose to continue driving despite being tired. After the accident, he decided to claim that he had high altitude sickness as a way to get leniency. Alkonis also cooperated with japanese authorities and stated so during the trial in order to get leniency. When he was sentenced, him and his family were surprised that he got 3 years. His family complained and complained to the US government to get him released. It feels like the leniency they were expecting was zero repercussions at all. To act like he was a POW instead of a criminal is criminal itself. I think the US government saved him from serving half of his sentencing.
Imagine that a japanese tourist runs over 2 Americans in Fresno because they were driving negligently. You’d expect the family of the deceased to request the maximum punishment. You’d expect Kevin Mccarthy to demand the book be thrown at him. Then Kishida makes a call and the Japanese national gets turned over to Japan having served a little over half their sentence only to be immediately released. Imagine the uproar from Sen Mike Lee or MTG.
I feel like America is showing its privilege and burning its reputation in the international community. As an American and a veteran, it’s a bit disappointing to see a fellow countryman and fellow service veteran not own up to their fuck up.
If it’s any consolation, literally any and all fellow USN junior officers I’ve spoken to about this are appalled and disgusted at everything that’s happened surrounding this case. It is infuriating that he was able to leverage both his religion and the meddling of US Senators to pervert justice. He got released because the Mormon church has way too much soft power. It’s a joke. It’s a miscarriage of justice, but please don’t think other officers in the US Navy are happy about this either. He got favorable treatment because he’s Mormon. It’s a fucking joke.
The Biden administration caved in to pressure from the frickin Mormons 🙄
Speaking as active duty US military myself, I feel that Ridge Alkonis should’ve served his full sentence. He killed two people via reckless driving and negligent vehicular manslaughter. He definitely doesn’t deserve to get promoted, which was thankfully denied due to military regulations that stipulate that you cannot have a criminal record (which he does have) in the time period during which you’re being considered for promotion.
I’ve driven to and from the Mount Fuji area a number of times. If I felt ill or unable to drive, I’d pull over to the shoulder (emergency hazard lights turned on) or a rest area immediately (and there are plenty of convenient rest areas to stop along the way to Fuji). Alkonis should’ve done the same but he kept driving anyway which shows a willful disregard for safety, in my view.
He deserved every bit of punishment he got there. He should’ve had more and should be ashamed for smiling like that after having killed two people.
I saw this absurd story on BBC this morning. Very disrespectful tweets and ridiculous comment by the Utah senator. I hope it’s known that even though there are occasionally stories like these that showcase arrogance or disrespect, there are many Americans like myself greatly value and appreciate our friendship and alliance with Japan and don’t agree with these comments at all
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This lump of filth should never have been released to the Muricans.
But this is nothing new. US military personnel getting away after killing locals while deployed aboroad has been going on for years.
How about the UK accident where the scum US wife of some US military guy was driving on wrong side of a road killed UK teen? She was spirited out of the country ASAP.
Back in the 90s a US Navy plane messing around on a joyride severed the cable of a cable car in Italy killing all on board.
That’s just two. Google at what US servicemen get up to while abroad – and get away with it.
…because America is just too powerful and so there no law for them.
This filthy rat who killed two Japanese is now free and grinning away with his cockroach wife (who started a campaign) who totally forgot the two Japanese he killed.
There will be more like this and there’s nothing anyone can do. And so the Muricans say hoo-yah and keep going knowing they’ll be free after doing whatever.
CNN is owned by Warner Media, which is owned by AT&T, of which the biggest shareholders are Vanguard, Blackrock, and State Street, whose shares are mainly held by some of the richest people imaginable. Of course this is done under corporate names and investment funds, they incestuously own shares in each other, etc.
So at every hiring level, there are naturally built in practices that ensures that folks of certain mindsets get to certain decision-making positions. It’s not that someone gets a phone call from a smoke-filled backroom saying “Celebrate the release of this bad guy”, the elimination process that caused the likelihood of such “journalism” has already been made at the hiring stage.
They have everything to gain by making conservative, reactionary, nationalist commentary and content rather than actual journalism.
CNN is absolute trash that’s why.
His complaint was in most cases a Japanese person involved in Vehicular Manslaughter or other similar accidental deaths usually gets off with just paying blood money to the injured party and he was upset that the victims family didn’t ask for or accept this arrangement. That instead they pushed for prosecution.
Of course that’s usually dependent on basically being extremely conciliatory and accepting all responsibility for the act.
I’ve had acute altitude sickness, and it absolutely can impede your ability to make rational decisions like pulling over. Although, even if that were 100% the case, I would feel it necessary to serve my sentence after killing two people, but I don’t know how I would feel about that half way into the sentence either.
Lol the Japanese will still look up to America so it’s ok. half of them are probably celebrating too at the justice of freedom the American received
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im japanese.
Including that murderer, American soldiers have committed numerous wrongdoings in Japan over the years. Whenever they commit crimes, the United States exerts pressure on Japanese politicians. Since losing to nuclear weapons, we have been constantly threatened by them. Japan, sandwiched between the largest communist country and capitalist country, reluctantly hosts the wretched American military. However, as evident from their actions in Ukraine and Afghanistan, the United States ultimately doesn’t care about other countries. May Japan swiftly possess nuclear capabilities and eliminate the filthy American military.
The daily routine of American troops in Japan is to commit crimes, rape, and crash planes.
America get out of Japan!
Those who are promoted as heroes for killing Japanese should get out of Japan.
Don’t come to a country where people get promoted by killing people.
And get the US bases out of Japan!
Then America and Japan will be happy!
It is far better to die and die fighting and losing to China and Russia than to live being treated like livestock and vermin and being ridiculed!
The Alkonis situation is the perfect encapsulation of America and foreign relations. Nobody matters but Americans, and when it comes to Americans relating to each other, the richer person matters more. You’re all just tools to be used in the furtherance of “America”. “Allies” means nothing.
Alkonis ought to have suffered punishment for his actions committed in Japan. The full punishment. However, the US is using him as a political trophy back home. Engendering this feeling of “America First!” on the world stage, that every other country ought to be subservient to Manifest Destiny exceptionalism, that the US is free to act with impunity abroad.
Its disgusting to see.
[https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2024/01/24/japan/us-navy-lieutenant-japan/](https://www.japantimes.co.jp/commentary/2024/01/24/japan/us-navy-lieutenant-japan/)
Best commentary on this whole debacle in my opinion.
This guys and the US politicians that pulled his shady release are pieces of shit. But also that bbc price made up statistics and flat out lied so that should be called out as well.