Historical Dictionary of United States-Japan ... - Bakumatsu Films

GOVERNMENT AID AND RELIEF IN OCCUPIED AREAS • 91
But there was a furious public outcry over the killing in Japan, and
this led to a jurisdictional dispute between Japan and the United
States. The incident illuminated the real situation regarding the restricted
Japanese sovereignty under the Japan–U.S. Status-of-
Forces Agreement. A Japan–U.S. joint commission was set up to
discuss the issue, but it could not reach any agreement. Finally, taking
hardening of Japanese public opinion on the issue into consideration,
the United States saved the situation not by making any interpretation
of the Japan–U.S. Status-of-Forces Agreement, but by
taking a special measure of “not using jurisdiction” over this particular
incident.
On 18 May 1957, the prosecutor indicted Girard with charges of injury
resulting in death. American people expressed resentment at this
development. Girard’s elder brother filed a lawsuit to the Federal district
court seeking habeas corpus for Girard. On 18 June, the Federal
district court gave a decision forbidding Girard’s extradition to Japan.
The United States government appealed this court ruling. At last, on
11 July 1957, the Federal Supreme Court rejected a lower court decision
and approved Japanese jurisdiction over the Gerard incident.
On 26 August 1957, the Girard incident trial began at the Maebashi
district court. The prosecutor demanded a five-year prison term for
the accused with charges of injury resulting in death. On 19 November
1957, the court handed down a sentence of three years in prison
with a probation period of four years. Despite this extraordinarily
light sentence, the prosecutor did not appeal this court ruling, while
Girard accepted it. After the court ruling, Girard returned to the
United States with his Japanese wife. The U.S. military forces did not
make any formal compensation payment; instead, it paid only
620,000 yen as consolation payment. Subsequent to this incident,
U.S. military personnel committed crimes in various places in Japan.
See also DEFENSE.
GOVERNMENT AID AND RELIEF IN OCCUPIED AREAS
(GARIOA). This term describes aid assistance that was funded by the
U.S. military budget given to Japan and Germany to help both countries
economically recover following the end of World War II. The
aid was used to pay for emergency supplies of daily necessities such
as food, clothing, and pharmaceuticals needed in occupied areas. The