Tokyo's Metropolitan Police Department has referred two U.S. Marines to public prosecutors over cash thefts from restaurants. The pair are believed to have carried out more than 10 such crimes nationwide, causing over ¥10 million in damage. They admitted to the allegations, citing family medical expenses as the motive.
Tokyo's Metropolitan Police Department referred two U.S. Marines to public prosecutors on February 13, 2026, accusing them of breaking into restaurants and stealing cash. The suspects, aged 20 and 26, are both stationed at the Iwakuni Base in Yamaguchi Prefecture. Investigative sources indicate the men were on vacation in Tokyo when they allegedly targeted two restaurants in the Kabukicho district of Shinjuku Ward between 7 and 8 a.m. on December 24, 2025, taking a total of about ¥27,000 in cash.
The pair reportedly used an electric tool to force open a key box outside one restaurant and entered using the key inside. Staff discovered the break-in and reported it to police. On the same day, more than ¥10 million was stolen from another restaurant in Shinjuku Ward, and the police are probing whether the Marines were involved.
The suspects are believed to have committed over 10 similar thefts at restaurants across Japan, resulting in more than ¥10 million in total damage. They have admitted to the crimes, stating they did so to cover family medical expenses. Such incidents involving U.S. military personnel can strain U.S.-Japan relations, though further details remain under investigation.
