According to Okinawa police, a Marine assaulted a restaurant employee after he refused to pay his bill

CAMP FOSTER, Okinawa – Japanese police arrested a Marine stationed in Okinawa over the weekend on suspicion of assaulting a restaurant employee over an unpaid bill, according to an Okinawa Prefectural Police spokesman.

Police believe the unidentified Marine struck a 27-year-old restaurant worker in the face with the back of his hand around 4:45 a.m. Saturday in Naha city’s Matsuyama district, the spokesman said by phone Monday.

The 18-member Marine is a private first class assigned to Headquarters and Support Battalion at Camp Foster, Marine Corps Installations Pacific spokeswoman 2nd Lt. Kelsey Enlow, via email on Monday. She did not identify the Marine.

The Marine Corps is cooperating “with all appropriate authorities,” Enlow wrote.

“The alleged conduct does not reflect the core values ​​of the U.S. Marine Corps, nor does it represent the behavior of the overwhelming majority of Marines stationed in Okinawa,” she wrote.

The Marine visited the restaurant the day before and left without paying his bill, the police spokesman said. The restaurant employee approached the Marine after seeing him on the street Saturday and an argument ensued.

The police spokesman declined to identify the restaurant.

The Marine had a blood alcohol content of over 0.09%, the spokesman said. In comparison, the legal limit for driving in Japan is 0.03%; and in the USA 0.08%.

Police responded to a witness report, the spokesman said. The Marine was in custody at Naha Police Station on Monday.

The restaurant employee was not seriously injured. The Navy denies the allegations, the spokesman said.

Some Japanese government officials are only required to speak to the media on condition of anonymity.

Assault without bodily harm is punishable under the Japanese Penal Code by a term of imprisonment not exceeding two years, a fine not exceeding 300,000 yen (approximately US$2,100), imprisonment, or a minor fine.

As of Dec. 11, Marines ages 19 and younger must be on base or at their off-base residence between 1 a.m. and 5 a.m. No Marine, regardless of age, may be in an off-base drinking establishment between these hours, nor may they drink in public off-base during these hours.