Considered one of Sen. Mike Lee’s Twitter accounts was suspended Wednesday, March 1, 2023. The Utah Republican’s language on his private Twitter account towards Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishidia for not returning Lt. Ridge Alkonis might have led to @BasedMikeLee being suspended from the platform Wednesday morning. It has since been reactivated. Twitter
Navy Lt. Ridge Alkonis, and his spouse, Brittany, are pictured on this household picture. Lt. Alkonis stays imprisoned in Japan. Alkonis household picture
Considered one of Sen. Mike Lee’s Twitter accounts was suspended Wednesday, March 1, 2023. The Utah Republican’s language on his private Twitter account towards Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishidia for not returning Lt. Ridge Alkonis might have led to @BasedMikeLee being suspended from the platform Wednesday morning. Twitter
Sen. Mike Lee speaks to a crowd of supporters at an election social gathering on the Hyatt Regency in Salt Lake on Nov. 8, 2022. Scott G Winterton, Deseret Information
Sen. Mike Lee intends to name for the U.S. to renegotiate its army settlement with Japan as a result of the Far East nation ignored his one-man deadline to launch an imprisoned Navy officer.
And the Utah Republican’s language on his private Twitter account towards Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishidia for not returning Lt. Ridge Alkonis might have led to @BasedMikeLee being briefly suspended from the platform Wednesday morning.
“.@kishida230, you’ve made your selection. I hope you’re prepared for some conversations on the Senate flooring that you simply’re not more likely to take pleasure in. This problem isn’t going away, and neither am I,” Lee tweeted early Wednesday morning.
Lee additionally tweeted “.@kishida230, 自業自得,” which translated means what goes round comes round.
Additionally, simply earlier than his midnight deadline, Lee tweeted, “.@kishida230, you have got 40 minutes left. Hand Lt. Ridge Alkonis over to the U.S. Navy. Now.”
The senator’s workplace didn't instantly reply to questions on Twitter suspending Lee’s private account.
“My private Twitter account – @BasedMikeLee – has been suspended. Twitter didn't alert me forward of time, nor have they but provided a proof for the suspension. My group and I are searching for solutions,” Lee tweeted on his Senate account, @SenMikeLee.
Lee’s private account got here again up about two hours after Twitter suspended it. It reappeared with out the 1000's of followers it had when it was taken down, however the quantity was climbing.
“Because of all who assisted in operation #Free@basedMikeLee. Nonetheless no rationalization from @Twitter as to what occurred,” the senator tweeted.
Final month, Lee demanded by way of Twitter that Kishida switch Alkonis to U.S. custody no later than midnight Feb. 28. The senator vowed to have a public dialogue concerning the U.S.-Japan Standing of Armed Forces Settlement if Japan didn't hand over Alkonis.
“Japan did not switch Lt. Ridge Alkonis to U.S. custody in time,” in response to a press launch from Lee’s workplace.
Lee plans to hunt renegotiation of the 63-year-old settlement in a speech Wednesday afternoon on the Senate flooring.
For those who don’t hand him over within the subsequent seven hours, a sequence of conversations will start tomorrow to tell Individuals of how poorly you’re treating our army personnel—not simply Ridge Alkonis, however all 55,000 U.S. forces in Japan.
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) February 28, 2023
Navy Lt. Ridge Alkonis, and his spouse, Brittany, are pictured on this household picture. Lt. Alkonis stays imprisoned in Japan.
Alkonis household picture
Alkonis was convicted of negligent driving within the deaths of an 85-year-old Japanese lady and her 54-year-old son-in-law on Could 29, 2021, whereas the Alkonis household was driving down Mount Fuji after a day journey.
A Japanese decide decided Alkonis had fallen asleep on the wheel and misplaced management of his car, which plowed into pedestrians and parked vehicles in a restaurant car parking zone two hours from Yokosuka Naval Base, the place he was serving as an anti-submarine warfare officer.
However U.S. Navy investigators decided that Alkonis suffered from acute mountain illness and misplaced consciousness. His spouse and kids mentioned that he was not sleepy and appeared to black out. They mentioned that after he handed out, he was unresponsive to their screams and one daughter’s kicks. He remained unconscious even in the course of the crash itself.
Alkonis began serving a three-year jail sentence in July.
Considered one of Sen. Mike Lee’s Twitter accounts was suspended Wednesday, March 1, 2023. The Utah Republican’s language on his private Twitter account towards Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishidia for not returning Lt. Ridge Alkonis might have led to @BasedMikeLee being suspended from the platform Wednesday morning.
Kishida met with President Joe Biden on the White Home in January to debate North Korea, Ukraine and China’s tensions with Taiwan.
Biden instructed Kishida that the U.S. was “totally, completely, utterly” dedicated to Japan’s protection and praised Tokyo’s safety buildup, saying the nations had by no means been nearer, in response to Reuters. In a joint assertion, the 2 leaders reaffirmed that the alliance stays the cornerstone of peace, safety and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific.
The U.S. has about 55,000 troops stationed in Japan at greater than half a dozen bases and different amenities.
Alkonis’ spouse, Brittany Alkonis, had a quick dialogue with Biden on the U.S. Home flooring after his State of the Union tackle final month.
“I promise you, we’re not giving up, OK?” the president instructed Brittany Alkonis on Feb. 8.
“My youngsters are relying on you,” she replied in a video that captured the interplay.
Brittany Alkonis, the couple’s three younger youngsters and different relations have demonstrated exterior the White Home to get Biden’s consideration.
In delivering his ultimatum to Kishida final month, Lee mentioned it’s time for a candid dialogue about “what you probably did” to Alkonis and his household and time to heal “this mindless wound.” He mentioned he's grateful for the connection the U.S. and Japan has loved, and requested the prime minister to not “weaken it as you have got” by imprisoning Alkonis.
Sen. Mike Lee speaks to a crowd of supporters at an election social gathering on the Hyatt Regency in Salt Lake on Nov. 8, 2022.
Scott G Winterton, Deseret Information