Police in Fukuoka are investigating the death of an American woman whose body was found in a hotel on Monday morning.
The woman was married to a U.S. serviceman who has been taken into custody by the U.S. Navy, NHK reported.
According to police, an employee of the hotel called 110 at around 9:20 a.m. Monday and said a woman may have committed suicide in a room.
Police officers who rushed to the scene found the woman collapsed in the room and she was confirmed dead. Police said there were signs of external injury and that the body was fully clothed.
On Tuesday, Fukuoka prefectural police and the U.S. Navy confirmed that the deceased woman was an American citizen and the wife of a U.S. serviceman at Sasebo Base in Nagasaki Prefecture.
Police said hotel security camera footage showed the woman and a man, believed to be her husband, checking into the hotel at around 7 p.m. on Oct 25, and the man leaving alone on the morning of Oct 27.
The U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service is investigating the incident. The Fukuoka police investigation is limited due to the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement, which grants the U.S. military priority.
The U.S. Navy has not disclosed the man's affiliation or rank.
© Japan Today
23 Comments
Login to comment
Sari Jones
a lot of kids at my school knew this woman she was so sweet to them may she rest in peace
Five Families
@theFu
Yes, very real. And very capable unit of men and woman out of Sasebo.
Naval Criminal Investigative Service. https://www.ncis.navy.mil/
theFu
Let's see - this happened off any US Military installation. Seems pretty clear to me that J-Police should be leading the investigation. If they like, they can ask for US help, but why should they?
Crime happened on Japanese soil. Unknown who all the actors in this were. Could have been the "butler", but the husband leaving and not calling police IS damning for his innocence.
Of course, we aren't even certain that the man on video entering and leaving are the same man and it is unclear if he was or wasn't the husband. Lots of possibilities that the article doesn't state clearly.
starpunk
Once again an American servicemember disgraces the uniform and his country by committing a felony on foreign soil.
Disgraceful and dishonorable. A cell in Leavenworth awaits him, along with a Dishonorable Discharge.
Gaijinjland
I’m surprised nobody is calling for the husband to be sent to the gallows. Nationality playing a part here?
konjo4u
The investigation probably will look at what happened before they were both in Japan.
Desert Tortoise
Oh gee, the Japanese never murder each other. Right? On J-T alone we see the following headlines:
15-year-old boy arrested for killing mother sent to family court in Sapporo
Man goes on trial for killing wife, one-year-old daughter
4 arrested over death of man found naked in Hokkaido park
Man arrested for attempting to kill his wife after cleaning argument
But, you know, those dastardly Americans ............
TrafficCone
According to Stars & Stripes a hotel employee said the woman died unnaturally and may have been involved in a crime. Also the address given matches with the hotel SOL
Hercolobus
Murder off base, Japan has jurisdiction over base Sofa protocols. Although, since no Japanese is involved, they probably relinquished it to US Forces.
deanzaZZR
Educated Japanese rightfully criticize the unequal treaties forced on Japan by USA's Perry and other foreign powers yet here we are in the year 2024 with this sort of behavior.
travelbangaijin
Is there are possibility a Japanese person killed the spouse while the husband was outside having a smoke? I'll wait for the facts to come out.
Desert Tortoise
Both are US citizens, one is a service member and the other a dependent spouse. She may have even been employed as a Navy civilian but we don't know that. Better to let the US authorities handle the matter.
OssanAmerica
Since SOFA gives US jurisdiction in cases where the crime took place on a US base, or the suspect was on duty at the time, I have to assume the Fukuoka Pref Police simply waived jurisdiction in this case.
Granted both victim and suspect are US nationals but the Fukuoka Police's decision definitely raises bigtime jurisdiction issues.
theFu
Wait - NCIS is real and not just 20 TV shows?
deanzaZZR
Predictable SOFA replies since 1945 or thereabouts.
USNinJapan2
David Brent
He didn't.
USNinJapan2
Garthgoyle
It could, but the Japanese police will often relinquish investigative jurisdiction to the U.S. side when the crime doesn't involve a non-SOFA victim, as in this case. In other words, they don't consider a crime committed between/among U.S. Forces personnel to be worth investigating and prosecuting, even if it was heinous, happened off the base, and wasn't duty related. Basically, a victimless crime as far as they're concerned. Pretty sad when you think about it.
Legrande
Predictable partisan replies here.
David Brent
Smart that he had the sense to make it back to the American base instead of getting arrested by the Japanese police.
Garthgoyle
If the crime was committed within Japanese soil, wouldn't the jurisdiction belong to Japanese police?
WoodyLee
May her and many others like her who are victims of the Evils among us RIP. Not a single day passes by without people falling victims to these monsters.
piskian
Sad story
Let's not speculate.
Five Families
If proven the worst.
An American service member murdering his spouce? Totally unacceptable!
You would bring shame on America and the uniform you represent.
Domestic violence on woman in the modern age can not be tolerated. Not any longer.
Woman are to be cherished and loved. Cared for and revered at all times.
The NCIS unit in Sasebo is one of the best. Swift justice for her, if murder is proven.