The Yokohama District Court on June 18, 2026, gave a suspended prison sentence to a Japanese man convicted of using a forged common access card to access U.S. military installations. (Akifumi Ishikawa/Stars and Stripes)
YOKOHAMA, Japan — A Japanese court on Thursday handed a suspended prison sentence to a man who used a fake common access card to gain access to U.S. military bases dozens of times over several years.
Yoshitaka Mizuno, 46, was convicted of using a forged private document and violating provisions related to the U.S.-Japan status of forces agreement after entering the facilities while posing as someone affiliated with the U.S. military.
Judge Yasuaki Takahashi sentenced Mizuno to 10 months in prison but suspended for three years, meaning he will avoid incarceration unless he commits another offense during that period.
“Given the nature of these crimes, the defendant’s responsibility is not light,” Takahashi said during Mizuno’s sentencing in Yokohama District Court.
The judge cited mitigating factors, including Mizuno’s admission of the facts, expressions of remorse, lack of prior criminal record and his wife’s willingness to supervise him.
Mizuno used a forged CAC to enter Yokosuka Naval Base through its main gate on the evening of Oct. 22, according to the ruling. He entered the installation again through the Womble Gate on the morning of Nov. 6 using the same method.
Later that morning, after being stopped by police for illegal parking in Tokyo, Mizuno presented the forged CAC as identification. The card included his photograph, the name “Mizuno, Yoshitaka Alex,” his date of birth, a Defense Department identification number and “Army” as his listed service affiliation, according to the ruling.
During the trial in May, prosecutors alleged Mizuno entered Yokosuka and other U.S. military bases at least 30 times since 2021. They argued that unauthorized access to the facilities could undermine security measures that support the U.S.-Japan alliance, according to a copy of their statement provided by the prosecutor’s office.
“The way the defendant treated his time on the base as if it were a vacation was audacious and malicious,” prosecutors argued.
Defense attorneys said Mizuno entered the installations to use on-base facilities and had no intent to engage in unlawful activities such as intelligence gathering, according to a May report by Kanagawa Shimbun.
