usf

Japan Press Service Co., Ltd. is the only news agency providing information of progressive, democratic movements in Japan

A U.S. sailor in hit-and-run released by SOFA

A U.S. sailor was released several hours after she was arrested by local police for a hit-and-run accident in Hachioji City in western Tokyo. The Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) was invoked for this disgrace, which was made known to the public on December 28.

According to the Hachioji Police, a vehicle driven by a 23-year-old female sailor of the U.S. Atsugi Naval Air Facility in Kanagawa Prefecture on December 22 hit three boys who were crossing at a pedestrian crossing in Hachioji and fled the scene, leaving one boy seriously injured and the other two with minor injuries.

The police found the driver about one kilometer away from the accident site and arrested her on suspicion of professional negligence resulting in bodily injury as well as violation of the Road Traffic Law.

However, soon after the arrest, the U.S. forces in Japan told the police that she was on duty and took her back to the U.S. Atsugi base.

Under the SOFA, U.S. military authorities have primary jurisdiction over crimes committed by on-duty U.S. personnel.

The Japanese Communist Party Tokyo Metropolitan and Kanagawa Prefectural committees on December 29 made representations to the U.S. Atsugi Naval Air Facility demanding that the sailor be turned over to Japanese investigators.

Kasai Akira, JCP member of the House of Representatives, on December 29 urged the Foreign Ministry to explain the series of these events relating to the accident, adding that the government must be tough on the United States in order to defend the Japanese people's lives and safety.
- Akahata, December 29-30, 2005