ISAHAYA, Nagasaki — A first lieutenant at a Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) camp in southwest Japan has been suspended for a month for forcing a subordinate to eat wasabi after he dozed off, claiming it would help him stay awake.

According to the public affairs office of Camp Omura, Omura City, Nagasaki Prefecture, the first lieutenant, aged around 30, fed his subordinate wasabi on November 1, 2021. The member developed abdominal pain and was diagnosed with acute gastritis at a hospital and needed a total of five days to recover.

The suspension was issued on October 29. The commander of the 16th Infantry Regiment, Captain Takanori Doi, issued the following comment regarding the incident: “We deeply regret it and will fully implement educational guidelines.

(Japanese original by Masaya Matsuo, Isahaya Resident Office)