MSDF petty officer killed during “training session”

The Martime Self-Defense Force is in the news this week after it was revealed that a petty officer who tried to leave a special forces training program was killed during a “send-off training session” in which he was forced to fight against 15 opponents:

The petty officer lost consciousness at 4:55 p.m., when he was knocked down by a punch to the chin by his 14th opponent.

One of the 15 members told MSDF officials that the petty officer was barely standing after fighting the seventh or eighth person. But since he showed a willingness to fight back, the training continued.

According to the petty officer’s family, a top MSDF official explained that the combat session was meant to send off the petty officer in a friendly manner.

“Why did 15 people need to hit (my son)?” the petty officer’s father, 51, said. “The MSDF should admit its fault.”

In July, similar combat training was conducted for a member leaving the special force program. His teeth were broken in his fight against 16 members.

Investigators are conducting an inquiry into the incident, believing that “there is a possibility that the fight was a group assault.”