US Student In Japan Jail Since 8 Months After Altercation With Police

An American citizen landed in legal trouble while traveling in Japan after he allegedly broke a bar lamp and obstructed law enforcement officers from performing their duties. He was detained in a jail in Tokyo for the past eight months. The youth was identified as Julian Adame, a University of Redlands student.

Adame's friends said his court hearings were repeatedly delayed or postponed. Adame was apprehended on May 22, 2018 following a night out in Tokyo. According to a GoFundMe page, created by his friend Kate Emmons to cover his legal and travel expenses, Adame befriended two people at his hostel before they decided to explore the nightlife in the city.

The friends had warned Adame about being questioned by possible Japanese gang members dressed up as police. "They warned him about Japanese gang members who dress up like police officers, ask for your passport to commit identity theft, and extort and kidnap you," Emmons wrote.

The problem started after a police officer woke him up and asked him to pay 100,000 yen ($911.05) for a broken bar lamp. "Abandoned by his companions, Julian feared the policemen were actually gang members. They asked to see his passport and upon his refusal, put him in a police car," the friend wrote.

The officer then drove him to a community police box and later to Adame's hostel to get his passport. "Once at the hostel, an officer attempted to handcuff Julian. Startled, he resisted arrest. The police charged him with the Obstruction of the Performance of Official Duties," Emmons' account read.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of State confirmed the arrest Wednesday morning.

"We can confirm that U.S. citizen Julian Adame was arrested in Tokyo on May 22, 2018. The safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas is one of our highest priorities. We are providing all appropriate consular assistance to Mr. Adame. Consular officers are in contact with Mr. Adame’s family and friends, and visit him at the Tokyo Detention Center regularly," the department told KTXL.

In a statement, a university spokesperson told the outlet they were aware of the situation and were in contact with local and international law enforcement agencies in Japan.

Stating her friend’s ordeal, Emmons wrote Adame’s trials have repeatedly been delayed or postponed.

"The prosecutor assigned to his case twice ordered the video footage be translated by a court-appointed translator, pushing back the hearing by a month. A second hearing was interrupted in the middle of the cross-examination of a police officer when another hearing was scheduled in the same courtroom, causing another month-long delay. His most recent hearing was scheduled for December 12. Unfortunately, his lawyer’s father passed away the day before, postponing the trial until mid-February," she wrote.

Leah Smith, Adame’s mother, said she was losing hope. "I just want him home. This is ridiculous, he's not a criminal," Smith said.