July 12, 2011
The Shizuoka District Court on July 11 ordered the state to pay a bereaved family about 80 million yen in compensation for their 29-year-old son’s suicide at Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force Hamamatsu base after suffering from relentless bullying lasting for ten years.
The government, one of the defendants, during the trial argued that senior officers’ motive for physical assaults and verbal abuses to the petty officer was purely “instructional”.
The judge, however, dismissed the defendant’s argument, recognizing that the act constituted unfair and illegal treatment.
The victim’s father, who had also served as an SDF airman, said after the court decision, “I hope that bullying in the name of ‘instructing’ will be eradicated from the SDF.”
The plaintiff’s lawyer said, “We will continue making efforts to ensure respect for human rights in the SDF.”
In the ground, maritime and air forces, 873 officers committed suicide between 2001 and 2010. The figure is twice as many as that of ordinary public servants. Many other families of SDF personnel who committed suicide are still fighting in the courts.
The case has brought to light the fact that illegal violent behavior, such as bullying, in the guise of “instructing” has been winked at in the SDF for the sake of supposedly toughening up the Japanese troops.
The government, one of the defendants, during the trial argued that senior officers’ motive for physical assaults and verbal abuses to the petty officer was purely “instructional”.
The judge, however, dismissed the defendant’s argument, recognizing that the act constituted unfair and illegal treatment.
The victim’s father, who had also served as an SDF airman, said after the court decision, “I hope that bullying in the name of ‘instructing’ will be eradicated from the SDF.”
The plaintiff’s lawyer said, “We will continue making efforts to ensure respect for human rights in the SDF.”
In the ground, maritime and air forces, 873 officers committed suicide between 2001 and 2010. The figure is twice as many as that of ordinary public servants. Many other families of SDF personnel who committed suicide are still fighting in the courts.
The case has brought to light the fact that illegal violent behavior, such as bullying, in the guise of “instructing” has been winked at in the SDF for the sake of supposedly toughening up the Japanese troops.
