The current edition of the S&S reports the details of the incident. Recent Japanese Media attention to "GAIJIN CRIME" has seen an uptick along with an alleged corresponding increase in enforcement activities by the Japanese Police i.e. random detention, questioning and demands for ID/personal & bag inspections and then there is the reported arrest and incarceration of a 74 year old tourist. This latest incident will serve to justify such negative attention and result in further continued harassment of law abiding foreign residents going about their business. Maybe a stay in a Japanese jail will adjust their attitudes. Whatever penalty they incur and the harm to the Japanese citizen assaulted, the worst harm will be that to the image of Americans and other foreigners in Japan. We all suffer for the actions of a few. My msg to these three misanthropes, thanks a lot you [expletive deleted]!

http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=63934

I've been here in Yokosuka for almost 9 years.  I've witnessed the 02-03' Kitty Hawk days.  Oh yes if some remember those summers of hell, where each weekend felt like another lecture from your parents how you didn't clean your room.  Every single weekend it started to be at the point, the CO would bring the entire Kitty Hawk crew to the flight deck for an (All Hands) CAPTAIN's MAST and discuss what occured.  I can still remember those sailors standing in their dress whites (embarrased) taking their punishments one after another in front of the entire crew.

There were sailors causing lives and families to suffer.  The entire 7th Fleet AOR felt these issues. I remember watching the Captain and XO walk off the ship together, because they were liberty buddies.  O-6 and below had to have a liberty buddy.  Not just to leave the base, but even onbase.  You actually had to sign out in a log, explain where, what your plans were, and who you planned to do them with.  It was a total mess.  You had even more people during that time getting in trouble because they werent with their buddy, or they just left the ship by themselves.  The good thing that resulted in this, was the base started to crack down on the problem areas.  That is why there is the E-4 and below liberty policy in place today.  The base went through changes in policy, and finally hashed out what we have today.  I think the base and leadership Admiral Kelly  did a great job fixing these previous issues. 

To those new sailors that have recently moved to Yokosuka: 
America is a very different place than what you will experience in Japan.  Its a safe and honest place to live, and it stays that way because people treat each other with respect and dignity.  I am here to tell you, we need to get the word out to your shipmates, and start watching out for one another.  The recent incident was teenage kids, but what about the next time?  Will it be more dependents or a sailor?  Or the time after that.  "Awareness" is the only thing that prevents sailors from making mistakes that others have made is the past.  I know this from experience which is why the CO had those sailors on the Flight Deck in front of the entire crew.  It wasnt because he wanted to punish them, they were getting what was coming to them regardless.  He did it, because he wanted to send and implant a message to the rest of us.  DONT SCREW AROUND HERE!  Its just a matter of time, when a sailor goes down the wrong path, and its due to him not being aware of his actions.

Everyone in Yokosuka needs to wake up, and realize where we are, and why we are here.  This isn't a playground, and its not our country.  We are guests and we need to act like it!