In the July 16 article "High crime rate a 'misperception' ": Lt. Gen. Edward Rice, commander of U.S. Forces Japan, reiterates that the crime rate of American service members in Japan is lower than that of the Japanese in general. He does not say whether off-duty U.S. service members suspected of crimes outside base fences should, therefore, be immune from arrest and prosecution under Japanese law. This is the moot question he must clear up first of all.
Hordes of Japanese are visiting the United States as tourists these days. What is their crime rate compared with that of U.S. citizens in general? Almost zero, I'm sure. Can we insist then that any Japanese who commits a crime while touring the U.S. should be immune from prosecution under U.S. law? Nonsense!
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