16461 replies to this topic

[timekiller001^]

^
I believe so, yes.
And I think the "does" in the article is supposed to be "doesn't", otherwise it doesn't make sense

[Knightsaber-Priss]

That seems to be the best outcome she could have had really. I’m pretty sure she can manage to behave over the next five years, especially with a prison sentence hanging over her if she does do anything silly.

From what I gather she’s said she will voluntarily give up driving even after her licence has been reinstated. Plus with no longer being active in the entertainment industry it seems like she’s decided to settle down and take life a bit slower now. We don’t know anything about her private life apart from hearsay really. But if she does have difficulties then now will be the time to really address them.

It’s good that she managed to settle with her victims out of court. I guess we won’t be hearing much new about her until about 2023 then... if at all!

[babylonia]

Thanks for posting the article. But the report is weirdly worded:

 

"The court sentenced Yoshizawa, 33, to two years' imprisonment, suspended for five years, meaning she will avoid prison if she does commit another crime within the next half decade."

 

Does that mean that she is on suspended sentence for 5 years and if she commit another offense within the 5 year period, she will then be imprisoned for two years?

It is rather confusing.

I hear ya. That was the first article I could find at the time that was written in english. It just had to have poor grammar, right?  But you're essentially correct. If she commits another crime/serious offense within the next 5 years, she'll go to prison for 2 yrs.

Here's some more english-written articles I found recently. Better (normal)  grammar and all:

https://japantoday.c...ver-hit-and-run
https://neotokyo2099...for-five-years/
https://www.japantim...riving-hit-run/

 

from wiki. suspended sentence.japan:

https://en.wikipedia..._sentence#Japan

Suspended sentences (執行猶予 shikkō yūyo) are common practice in Japan and can be applied in cases where a sentence is for up to 3 years in prison and/or 500,000 yen in fines. Any criminal activity during the period of the suspended sentence will result in the cancellation of the sentence and imprisonment for the prescribed term.[3

[ItsudemoAibon]

I was confused too but your explanation makes sense.

[babylonia]

FWIW, usually when it's a case of a suspended sentence, the courts will sometimes stipulate what the person should or should not do during the term/period of suspension (is that expression even correct? lol). I didn't see any details of that yet, but usually it might mean "you need to notify the court first if you plan to travel outside the country" Or simply "you can't travel outside the country". Or "you need to go to a rehab center' Or "get psych counseling on a regular basis", etc. etc. Or maybe nothing in particular.

 

If I hear/see anything like this, will post it.

[rcb2418]

^
I believe so, yes.
And I think the "does" in the article is supposed to be "doesn't", otherwise it doesn't make sense

The way I understand this is what would be a five year probation in the USA. If she breaks probation or doesn't follow through she would have to serve two years in prison.

That seems to be the best outcome she could have had really. I’m pretty sure she can manage to behave over the next five years, especially with a prison sentence hanging over her if she does do anything silly.
From what I gather she’s said she will voluntarily give up driving even after her licence has been reinstated. Plus with no longer being active in the entertainment industry it seems like she’s decided to settle down and take life a bit slower now. We don’t know anything about her private life apart from hearsay really. But if she does have difficulties then now will be the time to really address them.
It’s good that she managed to settle with her victims out of court. I guess we won’t be hearing much new about her until about 2023 then... if at all!

I agree with you. I can now see why it was better for her to retire. Five years may seem like a long time, but they go by fast. Hopefully we continue knowing from her in the future. I don't want this to be the last thing we know of Yossie.

[Fall]

Prior note, I haven't looked into the sentencing beyond what was stated in this topic, but since it seems that a ruling has finally come down, I'll express my own thoughts now that it won't interfere with speculative discussions anymore.

 

If I had seen this case with no knowledge of who Yossie was, I would have probably liked to have seen a reduced sentence where she had to spend a minimum of 3-6 months of her sentence in a correctional facility for criminal negligence (for the hit and run) along with the suspended license/fines for the DWI, further still having a 1-year extended probationary period with a suspended license where she could be sent back for up to 3 years total for an additional alcohol or traffic related violation. Not as a matter of codified law, but simply as a matter of what I'd have felt this instance was worth in this context with no permanent injuries or death having befallen the victims. I didn't feel it was worth over 3 years, but also expected that if a time of less than 3 years was given, that it would end in a suspended sentence.

 

This seems like an almost perfect middle ground though, since it requires Yossie to actually learn from her mistake and by having a larger window for more severe penalty if she doesn't. It still pains me to say that I feel that she probably got off with less than I'd have thought someone in her situation deserves in regard to a more immediate consequence. However, in the case of knowing about her past celebrity status, I could have made that exception conditional to her compliance with a court order to participate in a PSA program against drunk driving for the duration of that 5 year period in her suspended sentence. I could have seen more societal good with that, compared to just incarcerating her for an arbitrary amount of time.

[ZetaCron]

I just want to address the whole 'the bystanders did nothing'.  They were frickin' school age, ffs!  In a similar situation, at the same age, would you have known exactly what to do (and have done it)?

 

There's also a phenomenon called "Bystander effect", in which the more people are present at/witness to an accident the less likey they are to do something about it (under the assumption that there's so many people there that someone must have already done something about it).

 

This whole experience has most likely been a massive wake-up call for her.  I guess it'll be taxis, trains, car-pools and the "pedestrain express" (i.e. walking) for her from now on!

 

All in all, it's still kinda hard to believe, you know?  When someone you thought of so highly does something so ... low.

[Cio'24]

I think a lot of it just comes the Japanese culture of "mind your own business" or "I'm not involved".

 

Anecdotally, I was witness to someone being hit by a car a few years ago and rather than ignoring it and heading over to college like I really should have I chose to stay and help the guy who had been hit while waiting for an ambulance, several others made the same choice, even if those others had ignored it I know I still would have helped him. But people react to things differently which is why I'm thinking culture has a bit to do with this.

[ZetaCron]

Well a person's views and understandings of things are a lot more developed by the time they're in college, right?

 

Also, were you the first to act?  This is similar to bystander effect, except it's 'herd mentality'.  They saw you go towards the scene so they did the same.

[Cio'24]

We all pretty much acted at the same time I think. My mind kind of went into "go help! go help!" mode.

[Satur]

FWIW, usually when it's a case of a suspended sentence, the courts will sometimes stipulate what the person should or should not do during the term/period of suspension (is that expression even correct? lol). I didn't see any details of that yet, but usually it might mean "you need to notify the court first if you plan to travel outside the country" Or simply "you can't travel outside the country". Or "you need to go to a rehab center' Or "get psych counseling on a regular basis", etc. etc. Or maybe nothing in particular.

 

If I hear/see anything like this, will post it.

 I think (despite the news don't say anything) that she started that visits to rehab center or psych counseling before asked to present a favor face in the judgement. At least it is usual in many cases.

[Country Musume FanBoy]

Latest pic of Yossi from a news site. I guess this is the last pic we will see of her for a while :-/

[Rickee]

Interesting. She was the 9th most Googled singer in the world in 2018.

 

https://www.capitalf...t-googled-2018/

https://sports.yahoo...-143945282.html

 

The only other Japanese person listed was also in a scandal.

[babylonia]

Latest pic of Yossi from a news site. I guess this is the last pic we will see of her for a while :-/

Links to the news article would've been nice.

 

EDIT: Nevermind, found it myself. Says she went shopping at an upscale department store. Went to the gourmet food section. This was on 11/20, so it was over a week before her 11/29 court hearing.

https://jisin.jp/ent...t-news/1687957/

[Satur]

Interesting. She was the 9th most Googled singer in the world in 2018.

 

https://www.capitalf...t-googled-2018/

https://sports.yahoo...-143945282.html

 

The only other Japanese person listed was also in a scandal.

 That's because all us know who she is, lots of people saw the news and think, "oh, I have to google this name to see who she is?"

[Rickee]

 

Interesting. She was the 9th most Googled singer in the world in 2018.

 

https://www.capitalf...t-googled-2018/

https://sports.yahoo...-143945282.html

 

The only other Japanese person listed was also in a scandal.

 That's because all us know who she is, lots of people saw the news and think, "oh, I have to google this name to see who she is?"

 

I think it's more likely that it is all the people in Japan who do know who she is who were obsessively Googling her several times a day in September looking for the latest news in her scandal.

[Satur]

 Hitomi deserves also good memories from us, so this interview for Best of Japan tour (2004)

 

 

[Knightsaber-Priss]

No news but just a little more Hitomi love.

Hitomi singing “Single Bed” by SharanQ.

https://www.veoh.com...v569833HSPm45bc

[Satur]

 No matter what, she still touch our hearts.