The 1996 Padilla car crash was a notorious incident that occurred in Okinawa, Japan on 7 January 1996. Lori Padilla, a member of the United States Marine Corps in Okinawa, was speeding in a car which swerved off the road, killing Rojita Kinjo and her young daughters Mitsuko and Mariko.[1] The crash sparked outrage in Okinawa and strengthened opposition to the American presence in Japan, occurring only months after the 1995 Okinawan rape incident.
US Military Facilities in Okinawa. Between 50 and 75 per-cent of the 47,000 US troops based in Japan live on the island of Okinawa in bases that take up one fifth of the island.[2]
At around 1 p.m. on Sunday, January 7, 1996, a car driven by Lori Padilla, a 20-year-old Lance Corporal of the United States Marine Corps stationed in Okinawa as part of the United States Forces Japan, crashed at the Kitamae gate to Camp Foster on Route 58, located on Okinawa Island in Japan.[3][4] The car struck and killed Rojita Kinjo, a 36-year-old Japanese civilian, and her two young daughters, 10-year-old Mitsuko and 1-year-old Mariko. Padilla and passenger Carrie Smith, a 21-year-old Private First Class in the US Marines, were slightly injured and taken to a United States Navy hospital.[5]
Okinawa police stated that Padilla had abruptly changed lanes and lost control of her car because she was driving too fast. The US military was criticized for refusing requests by the Japanese authorities for access to Padilla or to administer a breathalyzer test, as standard Japanese procedure calls for alcohol testing to rule out drunk driving as the cause of the crash.[3] The incident brought to light one of many grievances felt by the people of Okinawa towards the US military presence on the island chain, and after the Padilla crash it was revealed that over a thousand car crashes involving US military personnel occurred in Okinawa per year. From 1997, US soldiers were required to have two forms of car insurance, the Japanese Compulsory Insurance and an additional comprehensive insurance.[3][6]
Trial
Padilla was eventually given a two-year jail sentence[3] and the Kinjo family sued Padilla and the co-owner of the car for ¥ 62 million (US$ 580,000 in 1996, US$ 1,002,109 in 2023) solatium or blood money.[3] The court ruled that the defendants should pay the money, but had already left Japan and Padilla had no money or insurance. The American government eventually paid 25 million yen and the Japanese government paid the difference.[3]
Aftermath
The Padilla crash was the second of three notorious events of misconduct by United States servicemen in Okinawa during the mid-to-late 1990s which strengthened opposition to American military presence in Japan. The crash occurred only four months after the 1995 Okinawa rape incident, where two US Marines and a US Navy Seaman stationed at Camp Hansen rented a van then kidnapped and raped a 12-year-old Japanese girl in Okinawa, sparking significant outrage among the populace. Two years after the Padilla crash, the 1998 Eskridge car crash occurred when a US Marine struck a Japanese teenager while drunk driving, entering a coma and dying from her injuries a week later.
^Page 7 - DAVID ALLEN (January 7, 1996). "Marine's car jumps curb killing three in Okinawa" (PDF). Okinawan Women Act Against Military Violence. (PDF) from the original on 18 March 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-14.
^Page 7 - DAVID ALLEN (January 11, 1996). "Fatal Okinawin draw's Marine apology" (PDF). Okinawan Women Act Against Military Violence. (PDF) from the original on 18 March 2009. Retrieved 2009-03-14.
1996, padilla, crash, notorious, incident, that, occurred, okinawa, japan, january, 1996, lori, padilla, member, united, states, marine, corps, okinawa, speeding, which, swerved, road, killing, rojita, kinjo, young, daughters, mitsuko, mariko, crash, sparked, . The 1996 Padilla car crash was a notorious incident that occurred in Okinawa Japan on 7 January 1996 Lori Padilla a member of the United States Marine Corps in Okinawa was speeding in a car which swerved off the road killing Rojita Kinjo and her young daughters Mitsuko and Mariko 1 The crash sparked outrage in Okinawa and strengthened opposition to the American presence in Japan occurring only months after the 1995 Okinawan rape incident Contents 1 Crash 2 Trial 3 Aftermath 4 See also 5 ReferencesCrash Edit US Military Facilities in Okinawa Between 50 and 75 per cent of the 47 000 US troops based in Japan live on the island of Okinawa in bases that take up one fifth of the island 2 At around 1 p m on Sunday January 7 1996 a car driven by Lori Padilla a 20 year old Lance Corporal of the United States Marine Corps stationed in Okinawa as part of the United States Forces Japan crashed at the Kitamae gate to Camp Foster on Route 58 located on Okinawa Island in Japan 3 4 The car struck and killed Rojita Kinjo a 36 year old Japanese civilian and her two young daughters 10 year old Mitsuko and 1 year old Mariko Padilla and passenger Carrie Smith a 21 year old Private First Class in the US Marines were slightly injured and taken to a United States Navy hospital 5 Okinawa police stated that Padilla had abruptly changed lanes and lost control of her car because she was driving too fast The US military was criticized for refusing requests by the Japanese authorities for access to Padilla or to administer a breathalyzer test as standard Japanese procedure calls for alcohol testing to rule out drunk driving as the cause of the crash 3 The incident brought to light one of many grievances felt by the people of Okinawa towards the US military presence on the island chain and after the Padilla crash it was revealed that over a thousand car crashes involving US military personnel occurred in Okinawa per year From 1997 US soldiers were required to have two forms of car insurance the Japanese Compulsory Insurance and an additional comprehensive insurance 3 6 Trial EditPadilla was eventually given a two year jail sentence 3 and the Kinjo family sued Padilla and the co owner of the car for 62 million US 580 000 in 1996 US 1 002 109 in 2023 solatium or blood money 3 The court ruled that the defendants should pay the money but had already left Japan and Padilla had no money or insurance The American government eventually paid 25 million yen and the Japanese government paid the difference 3 Aftermath EditThe Padilla crash was the second of three notorious events of misconduct by United States servicemen in Okinawa during the mid to late 1990s which strengthened opposition to American military presence in Japan The crash occurred only four months after the 1995 Okinawa rape incident where two US Marines and a US Navy Seaman stationed at Camp Hansen rented a van then kidnapped and raped a 12 year old Japanese girl in Okinawa sparking significant outrage among the populace Two years after the Padilla crash the 1998 Eskridge car crash occurred when a US Marine struck a Japanese teenager while drunk driving entering a coma and dying from her injuries a week later See also Edit1998 Eskridge car crashReferences Edit Car Driven by Marine Kills 3 on Okinawa AP January 8 1996 Retrieved 2009 03 14 Okinawa death strains US Japan relations BBC News October 15 1998 Retrieved 2009 03 14 a b c d e f Page 45 47 Chalmers Johnson Blowback The Costs and Consequences of American Empire 2000 rev 2004 ed Owl Book pp 268 ISBN 0 8050 6239 4 Page 7 DAVID ALLEN January 7 1996 Marine s car jumps curb killing three in Okinawa PDF Okinawan Women Act Against Military Violence Archived PDF from the original on 18 March 2009 Retrieved 2009 03 14 Page 7 DAVID ALLEN January 11 1996 Fatal Okinawin draw s Marine apology PDF Okinawan Women Act Against Military Violence Archived PDF from the original on 18 March 2009 Retrieved 2009 03 14 The SACO Final Report Ministry of Foreign Affairs Japan December 2 1996 Retrieved May 7 2010 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 1996 Padilla car crash amp oldid 1118130397, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
