When the story of Ridge Alkonis first broke on 29 May 2021, it did not initially attract much attention in Japan. The US Navy officer had killed two Japanese citizens in a car accident during a trip to Mount Fuji - the victims were an 85-year-old woman and her son-in-law, aged 54. After pleading guilty to negligent driving, Alkonis was sentenced to three years jail in October 2021. In his defence,