In a shocking turn of events on November 6, a 33-year-old Singaporean flight attendant, Bai Peixuan, found herself at the center of a legal storm in Japan.
She is being accused of shoplifting goods worth just over 10,000 yen (about SGD $90) and allegedly biting a man during a confrontation in a shopping mall.
According to The Straits Times, Bai is a flight attendant working for Singapore Airlines.
What happened
On 6 November last week, in Narita, Chiba prefecture; Bai Peixuan, 33, reportedly stole items worth 10,538 yen from a local shop.
The incident unfolded at around 11 am, prompting a Japanese man, 51, to intervene when Bai attempted to leave without paying. When he tried to stop her from leaving, she allegedly bit his left arm in return.
The six items found in Bai’s possession included bath towels and tote bags. Bai, however, maintains her innocence, stating to the police that she didn’t steal the goods and that she was intending to pay for them “later”.
When questioned about biting the man, Bai explained that the man was allegedly holding her neck and she bit him to make him let her go.
Japan’s laws
In Japan, people who are suspected of committing a crime, are legally allowed to be detained by the authorities for a maximum of 23 days.
Shoplifting is considered a criminal offense in Japan, and the legal system addresses it seriously. The laws related to shoplifting fall under the jurisdiction of the Penal Code of Japan.
If an individual is caught shoplifting in Japan, they may face a jail term of up to 10 years or a maximum fine of 500,000 yen (or SGD$4,487), according to Criminal Defense Japan.
Assault, in the context of Japanese law, is broadly defined as the act of inflicting bodily injury or causing another person to fear bodily injury.
Persons found guilty of Assault will be charged under the Japanese Penal Code, Article 208, and face an “imprisonment with work” for a maximum of 2 years, a maximum fine of 300,000 yen, or a “misdemeanor imprisonment without work”, according to Juris Japan.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also told ST that they are providing consular assistance to the woman, in respect and accordance with the Japanese laws.
Images source: Screengrab from Nippon TV News 24 Japan on YouTube.