Japan lets arrested Canadian Navy sailor go, civilian still in custody

Japan has released one Royal Canadian Navy sailor who was arrested in February 2016 while the navy ship HMCS Winnipeg was docked in Japan, conducting a routine port visit.

In total, three members of the ship’s crew were arrested on February 1 for allegedly using narcotics.

Of the arrested, one was a civilian employee while two were military members. The Tokyo police have released one military member while the other two persons were charged with “use of a controlled substance”.

The Canadian Navy has now informed that the other has been released from custody and returned to Canada on March 25.

The civilian employee however remained in custody awaiting a judicial hearing. The Navy said that it could give no further information about the case.