Author: Japan Reacts Editorial

It has come to light that a 37-year-old Ground Self-Defense Force sergeant (3rd Class) formerly assigned to the 2nd Artillery Regiment at the Asahikawa base brought a real, personal knife to an off-duty mock combat training session in March 2021, misjudged the distance, and stabbed a junior soldier, leaving him with an injury that took about two weeks to heal. The GSDF handed the soldier a six-month suspension as of September 1. The incident only came to light in January 2024 — roughly three years later — after another soldier not directly involved raised it with a superior, and it then took a further two and a half years to reach the disciplinary decision. On 5ch, commenters repeatedly questioned why it took so long to uncover and punish the incident despite someone being injured, and expressed shock that a personal blade — not training equipment — had been used.

A Ground Self-Defense Force soldier belonging to the 2nd Artillery Regiment at the Asahikawa base in Asahikawa City has received disciplinary punishment for accidentally stabbing a junior soldier with a real knife during mock combat training.

The soldier handed the six-month suspension, effective September 1, is a 37-year-old Sergeant (3rd Class) from the 2nd Artillery Regiment.

According to the GSDF, in March 2021 the sergeant brought out a real knife during an off-duty mock combat training session, misjudged the distance, and "stabbed" a junior soldier, causing an injury that took two weeks to heal.

Source: news.yahoo.co.jp / Original article here

*This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (News Speed+) thread ‘[Asahikawa] GSDF ‘mock combat training’ — soldier accidentally stabs junior with a ‘real knife’ instead of the rubber training knife‘.