PORTLAND, OREGON: A Japanese diplomat, 62, was rushed to a hospital after being attacked by a homeless Black woman, who allegedly has a history of violence against Asian people. Yuzo Yosioka, the consul general in Portland's Consular Office of Japan, was walking near Southwest Park Avenue and Oak Street on June 17 when he was attacked by 23-year-old Arissa Robinson, according to court records.
Yoshioka was immediately rushed to a hospital nearby after sustaining a cut to his head during the attack. Court records say he was "shoved" by Robinson causing him to fall to the ground and smack his head on the sidewalk. A responding officer observed a lot of blood running down the back of the victim as he was being looked at by medics. An eyewitness said the diplomat "just went down... it looked pretty bad." The diplomat reportedly told first responders that the attack was "unprovoked." He has since recovered and resumed his duties at the consulate.
Who is Yuzo Yoshioka?
Yoshioka is the consul general in Portland's Consular Office of Japan since March. The diplomat previously made headlines after he met with Portland's police chief in May to discuss the safety of Japanese nationals. In 2021, Yoshioka's predecessor wrote to former Governor Kate Brown about concerns for the Japanese community after two women of Japanese descent were assaulted in a random attack. Following the attack on Yoshioka, deputies found Robinson, who was homeless, hiding inside the US Bancorp Tower, a short time later.
Robinson has been booked into the county jail on charges of felony bias crime and fourth-degree assault. She remains behind bars without bond as of Thursday, July 20. The assault on the Japanese ambassador was a part of Robinson's "broader pattern" of violent attacks against individuals of Asian descent, according to court records. She was taken into custody in August 2022 after being accused of repeatedly striking a 76-year-old Asian man in the head and placing him in a chokehold that cut off his air supply and stopped him from yelling for aid. At that time, she was charged with strangulation and harassment, but the charges were dismissed in January.
The history of Robinson’s anti-Asian attacks
In 2022, Robinson was “flipping people off” in Portland’s China Town when she allegedly attacked a mother and child, kicking over a baby stroller with a one-year-old inside. “They were in the way so they got decked … I meant to do it,” she was heard telling officials. she was detained in connection with that assault, but charges against her were later dismissed on the same day as those related to the incident in 2022 because a judge found Robinson incompetent to stand trial. The attorney argued that Robinson should not be sent to the state mental hospital as she did not “present public safety concerns.” The Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office said the charges related to the August 2022 assault had been refiled following Robinson’s arrest in June, according to NY Post.
