Sen. Mike Lee, a Utah Republican, took to the Senate floor on behalf of a Navy officer imprisoned in Japan to accuse its government of backtracking on a deal to release the officer.
A Dana Point, Calif., couple, whose son, Navy Lt. Ridge Alkonis, is serving prison time in Japan following a car crash, hopes a visit by the Japanese Prime Minister this week with President Joe Biden could help in getting him transferred to the United States.
A U.S. senator from Utah has threatened to undermine a pending weapons deal with Japan unless it hands over a Navy officer serving time in a Japanese prison for two traffic deaths.
Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee demanded Japan release imprisoned U.S. Navy Lt. Ridge Alkonis. After a series of tweets to Japan’s prime minister, Lee’s personal Twitter account was suspended for about two hours.
Lt. Ridge Alkonis was sentenced to three years after causing a deadly traffic accident in 2021. The case has irritated U.S. relations with a crucial military ally.