The latest news on the murder of NOVA teacher Lindsay Ann Hawker
New information on the case of Lindsay Ann Hawker, a 22-year-old British woman who was recently found murdered in Japan, has emerged since yesterday’s post on this topic:
- Hawker graduated in biology from the University of Leeds last year and started teaching for Nova in October 2006.
- Ichihashi, who is suspected of being involved in Ms Hawker’s murder, “escaped from the scene despite the presence of several police officers.”
- NOVA has denied media reports that Ichikawa was a student at their schools who had been dating Ms Hawker.
- Several assault wounds to the face and arms have been found on her body, but exact cause of death has not been determined.
- Neighbors hurt sounds of striking metal and something being dragged on late Sunday/ early Monday.
- In a March 20 message to her boyfriend on the social networking site Facebook, Ms Hawker wrote: ”Love u lots dont worry abt the gut (guy) who chased me home, its jus crazy Japan. miss u xxx.” [Full article here]
A few photos:
Update: In the following news clip, a foreigner tells the Japanese press that a strange man had run after Lindsay as she was biking several days before, asking for her phone number. She had refused, but he gave her his phone number instead. The foreigner seems to be suggesting that the man was Ichihashi. This could be the same incident mentioned in the British newspaper article’s investigation of her Facebook message postings:
Update 2: Ms Hawker’s father and boyfriend have arrived in Japan and given emotional statements before the Japanese media, calling on the police to arrest the criminal responsible:
“My daughter didn’t come here to be murdered. She came here to help people, she came here to teach,” Hawker’s father, William, told reporters in Chiba, near Ichikawa, wiping away tears with a handkerchief.
“I will not rest till the man who killed my daughter is caught,” he said, appealing to the Japanese public to come forward with any information that might aid the investigation.
The dead Briton’s father, who spoke with police after arriving in Japan early Wednesday, was accompanied by Hawker’s boyfriend, Ryan Garside.
“She was the best thing in my life,” a distraught Garside said at the press conference, adding he had planned to ask Hawker to marry him.
-It has also been reported by the Japanese media that her cause of death was suffocation. I haven’t seen any English language articles about this yet, but this Japanese article has the information.
-More on the chasing while biking: some in the Japanese media are reporting that a man said “Do you remember me?” to Lindsay and chased after her as she biked, asking her to teach him English. It is unclear whether the man was Ichihashi.
Update 3: A few new details on the case have emerged since this morning’s update.
An account of Ichihashi’s escape, from Mainichi:
Officers visited Ichihashi’s apartment in Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture, at about 9:40 p.m. on Monday, just as the 28-year-old was preparing to walk out the door. One of the officers accosted him, asking “Are you Mr. Ichihashi?”
Ichihashi answered affirmatively but escaped down the apartment’s emergency stairway and fled in the direction of Gyotoku Station. The fugitive was not wearing shoes.
His abandoned socks have also been found.
The media is widely reporting that Ichihashi had indeed chased down Hawker as she biked home several days before the murder, asking her to teach him English and giving her his name and phone number.
The Asahi Shinbun has added a few more details about her death: she had likely been strangled after her hands and feet had been bound with plastic cords.
I came across this Japanese language article about press coverage and “bashing Japanese,” which led me to the London Paper’s classy coverage of the murder:
Today it emerged that Lindsay had already decided to leave Japan because she found the men “creepy”
Lindsay had posted a message on the Facebook website on March 20 mentioning that a man had followed her home.
In one posting to Ryan, she wrote: “Love u lots dont worry abt the gut (guy) who chased me home, its jus crazy Japan. miss u xxx.”
And a friend told The Sun today:’ She found Japanese men weird. Some made inappropriate gestures and sexual remarks.”
Update 4: Looking for professional journalistic coverage of this crime? Look no further than “Real Time News,” which had this reporter showing viewers what a man chasing after a bicycle would look like:
Update 5: Japanese police raided a love hotel [or "sex motel" as the British press has termed it] in Nishi-Funabashi yesterday following a report that someone fitting Ichihashi’s description had been there, but did not find him. Richard Lloyd Parry of time Times has also reported a link between violent manga and the crime:
There was speculation the murder, echoing violent Manga comics which are extremely popular in Japan, may have been copied from the cartoons.
Piles of the comics, which feature stories of rape and torture, were found at Ichihachi’s flat.
Has anyone seen any Japanese media reports that focus on Ichihashi’s manga reading?
Update 6: Ichihashi hasn’t been caught yet, but a few new details have emerged:
The above news clip claims that Ichihashi cut Hawker’s hair in his apartment, and that video footage of the two together has been found:
Video pictures broadcast by Japanese television showed English teacher Lindsay Hawker dressed in white and talking to a man media identified as 28-year-old Tatsuya Ichihashi, whom police are seeking in connection with her death.
Three members of the cafe’s staff remembered seeing “a very beautiful foreign woman,” broadcaster NTV said. Hawker and Ichihashi were then caught on another camera getting into a taxi, apparently headed for his house nearby, NTV said.
Hawker is thought to have given Ichihashi an English lesson at the cafe and then agreed to stop off at his apartment before heading for work at a language school, media reports said.
Meanwhile, the Sun has reported that Ichihashi “bragged of spying on women as they showered and bathed” in his school yearbook.
Update 7[6:30PM Japan Time April 3, 2007]: The Japanese media is reporting that Ichihashi may have pursued another female foreigner about half a year ago, and that he also drew a portrait and gave it to that woman. Police are investigating the similarities between the two cases as they continue to search for Ichihashi. The press has also released a new photograph of Ichihashi, taken in February of this year, and they are showing it on tonight’s news broadcasts.
Another note: this story is not being ignored by the Japanese media. It is getting a lot of coverage. Don’t let random internet posters fool you with their claims that the Japanese media is not putting Ichihashi’s photo all over the news. Hopefully the new photograph released tonight will help in the search for him.
Update 8[1:45PM Japan Time April 4, 2007]: A few pieces of information the English language press has translated from Japanese news reports since the last update:
This is London reports on the other foreign woman Ichihashi stalked:
The Japanese man suspected of murdering Lindsay Hawker stalked another British woman teacher last year, scaring her so much she fled the country, it emerged yesterday.
The young woman left her job in Japan and returned to the UK fearing for her safety after horticultural student Tatsuya Ichihashi followed her after apparently asking her to help him with his English.
And a possible reason why Hawker went to his apartment:
The couple sat at a table for 50 minutes before Ichihashi made a deliberate fuss of searching for enough money to pay for coffee and a snack.
The CCTV footage shows Miss Hawker about to reach into her bag, apparently to help him out. “It is possible that he told her that she should come to his flat so he could pay her for the lesson,” said a police officer.
Update 9[5:45PM Japan Time April 5, 2007]: Not much new in the media, but the police have announced that Ichihashi’s bike has been missing from the area near his apartment and they suspect he may be using it for transport.
Update 10[1:30PM Japan Time April 8, 2007]: Very little new information has come out regarding this case, but here is what has been reported since the 5th:
The taxi driver who drove Hawker and Ichihashi to Ichihashi’s apartment was found and interviewed by the press. He said that the two did not talk inside his taxi, but when they got out, Ichihashi told the driver to wait for a few minutes. The press has speculated that Ichihashi may have been saying this to fool Hawker into believing that she would soon be able to go back to the taxi and leave. The taxi company was very busy that day, so the driver had to leave after a very short time waiting.
The Japan Times has printed an article that is very critical of the police, quoting retired Japanese police officers who suspect the police officers involved in this case made some major errors. The article also reveals:
Police do not know how much money Ichihashi may have been carrying had when he escaped, but Terajima said Ichihashi has not withdrawn cash from any bank ATM. There have also been no reports of him buying either food or clothing.
A new article from the Mirror takes a sensational look at an essay Ichihashi wrote as a teenager, in which he fantasizes about becoming a peeping tom.
Update 11[4:30PM Japan Time April 9, 2007] The latest developments in this case:
- Ichihashi is believed to have been carrying 50,000 yen in cash on his person when he fled his apartment. Two weeks have passed and he has yet to withdraw any money from an ATM.
- Police have located Ichihashi’s bike in the parking area of the train station closest to his apartment.
- Nikan Gendai has reported on some of the theories regarding Ichihashi’s whereabouts. Some believe he may have committed suicide, while others think he may be in Osaka.
- 300,000 wanted posters have been distributed to locations across Japan to aid in the search (an example can be found below).
Update 12[6:50AM Japan Time April 20, 2007] Over 20 days have passed since the murder, and the police have yet to locate Ichihashi. There is speculation that Ichihashi has committed suicide. Meanwhile Lindsay Ann Hawker’s funeral is finally taking place.
Update 13[1:50PM Japan Time May 08, 2007] The top story on this morning’s Japanese news programs was the release of new footage showing Ichihashi:
Images of Ichihashi, taken by a security camera in the elevator of his apartment building for several days before Hawker’s body was found, were widely shown by Japanese broadcasters.“We hope to get more information (from the public),” a police official said.
The police contact number is clearly displayed at the end of the video.
Update 14[1:50PM Japan Time May 17, 2007] Lindsay Ann Hawker’s parents appeared on the news this morning in Japan, calling on people to help locate the killer of their daughter:
Holding up a poster of suspect Tatsuya Ichihashi, he said: “If anybody at all knows this man, please please do not hide it. He needs to be brought to justice.” -Birmingham Post Article
Update 15[1:00AM Japan Time May 26, 2007] The British government is calling for more action:
British Foreign Secretary Margaret Beckett on Tuesday urged the Japanese media to give more coverage to the murder case of Briton Lindsay Ann Hawker in the hopes that it will help bring the killer to justice.
Beckett made the comments at a joint evening news conference with Foreign Minister Taro Aso, held after their meeting.
Update 16[June 09, 2007] With little progress being made in the case, Britain’s ambassador expressed his disappointment:
British Ambassador to Japan Graham Fry expressed hope Thursday that the police will soon apprehend the 28-year-old Japanese man wanted in connection with the murder of a British woman in Chiba Prefecture in March. “I’m disappointed that he is not yet caught…I hope he will be caught soon,” Fry said in response to a question about the case of Lindsay Ann Hawker, 22, whose body was found March 26 at the suspect’s condominium.
But he also defended the police, saying they are “doing their best” and that more than 100 police officers are still working on the case and about 30,000 posters have been printed and displayed at police boxes and other locations.
In other news:
Lindsay’s parents have set up http://www.lindsayannhawker.com/ , a site aimed at spreading awareness of this case and calling for the capture of Ichihashi.
-Mainichi’s English edition has run a translation of some tabloid articles about Ichihashi’s past experiences with trying to pick up foreign women.
-According to a report, Ichihashi’s father told Lindsay Ann Hawker’s parents that he hoped “our son will atone for his crime as soon as possible.”
Update 17[June 20, 2007] Lindsay’s family has traveled to Japan and is expected to make an appeal for progress on TV within the next couple days. They will also be accompanied by British police:
Warwickshire Police said two officers were travelling to Tokyo to assist the family of Lindsay Hawker, who are expected to make an appeal for information about the 22-year-old’s death.
A force spokesman stressed that the officers, thought to be family liaison specialists, were not being sent to assist directly in the investigation.
Update 18[June 27, 2007] Lindsay’s parents have arrived in Japan:
Lindsay Ann Hawker’s parents arrived at Narita airport apparently to generate fresh media coverage of the still unsolved case. They plan to hold a press conference on Friday, the British embassy said.
“We hope for justice for Lindsay. That’s all we are here for,” said her father, Bill Hawker, who held up a picture of his 22-year-old daughter to television crews filming his arrival.
Update 19[June 30, 2007] A few new developments:
-Lindsay’s sister has told the press that Ichihashi wanted to keep Lindsay’s body in his bathtub as a twisted shrine.
-A t-shirt campaign has been launched to spread awareness about Ichihashi and urge his capture.
Update 20[July 2, 2007] Lindsay’s family has been making appearances on major Japanese news programs, and a video of them calling on people to find Ichihashi is currently the most-viewed news video on Yahoo Japan. It has also been revealed that police suspect Ichihashi is hiding close to the scene of the crime. Apparently one Japanese television program the Hawkers appeared on made them sit through a re-enactment of the murder:
The Hawkers arrived in Tokyo last Wednesday for meetings with police and embassy officials and interviews with the Japanese media.
These included an appearance on Saturday night on The Power of Television, a two-hour live programme that had been billed as the equivalent of Crimewatch. Instead, it featured contributions from psychics and a lurid re-enactment of Ms Hawker’s murder that reduced her sister and parents to tears.
The Hawkers have said they will keep coming back to Japan until the man who killed their daughter is caught.
Update 20 [August 15, 2007] Police still haven’t captured Ichihashi. There is very little new information about this case, but Richard Lloyd Parry of the Times has an update on his blog.
Update 21[August 22, 2007] More news from Kyodo:
Bill Hawker, who was recently given the autopsy report, told the newspaper, “It was a horrific murder. There was literally not a square inch of her body that wasn’t badly bruised.
“He tied her up with horticultural tape. This is dreadful to say, but he punched, kicked or used a blunt instrument throughout her body. This could have gone on a day and a half possibly, before the poor thing eventually died.
“There was total bruising of the front of the body, defensive bruises on her arms, which were dreadfully knocked about, all of her back, the inside of her legs. It was as if he’d systematically injured every part of her body.
“When I had to identify my daughter, the Japanese had her so that I could only see the top of her head and her face. I didn’t want to see the rest of her body. Her face was badly beaten. They had put on a lot of make-up and my daughter never wore make-up. So we never realized the extent of her injuries.
“He also cut her hair off — the final indignity for her was to have her hair cut off.”
Hawker’s parents recently criticized the police’s handling of the murder investigation.
Update 22[September 24, 2007] Ichihashi remains at large. The Daily Mail has published an interview with Lindsay’s sister.
Update 23[December 12, 2007] Some of Lindsay’s friends gathered in Tokyo to pass out fliers over the weekend. They wore t-shirts with Ichihashi’s face on them and were able to get some attention from the Japanese news media.
Ichihashi’s photographs can been seen on wanted posters throughout Japan, and I can personally report that I’ve seen them at dozens of locations throughout the Tokyo Area.
Update 24[August 22, 2008] – Wanted posters for Ichihashi remain up, but there has been no clear sign of him. Hawker’s family has renewed the call for justice:
More information on the family’s efforts to track down Ichihashi can be found at the website lindsayannhawker.com. Anyone with information on his whereabouts can call the special hotline in Japan set up by the family’s supporters at 03-6688-7677.
Update 25: [October 23, 2008] The Times reports that police could scale down the investigation because they think Ichihashi may have committed suicide.
Update 25: [March 27, 2009] The second anniversary of the crime has passed, but Ichihashi is still at large.
Update 26: [November 10, 2009] The manhunt is over. Tatsuya Ichihashi has finally been arrested.
Very sad story. Pretty chilling knowing that he was the one that “chased” her home one day. The guy deserves death penalty even though the Japanese justice system can be lenient sometimes. I sure hope they can bring this sick killer to justice. Gotta love the racism from her good ol’ friend David though. If he already calls us japs, after this he’ll hate us for sure.
Hmm, was the “jap” comment by David really nessesary?
Withregard to davids jap comment. I am the creator of this forum and david’s comment has been withdrawn.
I apologize on his behalf for any offense it may have caused.
Scott Greenwood
Lindsay Hawker – commemoration
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2263769998
I am a British Citizen and was in Japan at this time (for the last 6 weeks).
I hope they catch “Tatsuya Ichihashi – 28 year old male – the apartment owner who apparently eluded the police.
This was an extremely disgusting and dristessing crime.
Maybe the Japanese should place a ban on “Sadist Porn Manga” which this man was apprently fond of since many magazines of this kind was found in his appartment.
At the moment.. I am looking for this guy and hope I catch him before the police.
Even saying this, I still belive that Japan is one of the safest countries I have ever visitied and the Japanese people are very kind & honest people. This act seems to be due to one mindless induvidual.
In Japan ,who will employee the management of the Japanese police after retirement?
It is the pachinko industry.
The private gamble is forbidden in Japan. A pachinko parlor is a clear private sector gambling house,
although a store is in the very good piece of land in front of almost all stations of the Japan whole country.
Since police management and the pachinko industry have adhered, although pachinko is a gamble,
it is recognized as play and regulation is not carried out.
90 percent of the management of a pachinko parlor is a Korean resident in Japan.
In Japan, they are tax evasion and are very rich privileged people.
Joji Obara who killed Lucie Blackman, was also the son of the Korean resident in Japan,who ran the rich pachinko parlor.
The rate to which Korean residents in Japan commit little girl murder and rape in Japan is extremely high.
It is not related, although they are probably rich and they poor. They rape frequently.
This time, Tatsuya Ichihashi will conceal media of Japan, without reporting all at once,
if he is a Korean resident in Japan becomes clear.
Korean residents in Japan are governing media of Japan.
The police are connected with the Korean resident in Japan in pachinko.
Japan is not a safe country — you, British people.
Only Japanese people do not live in Japan.
Being by many criminal Korean-resident-in-Japan, they are privileged people and are governing Japanese people.
There is law with which a Korean resident in Japan can commit a crime without limit in Japan.
If they come out of prison even if they commit a crime how many times ,
they can use the different Japan name .
Since the police and media are cooperation relationship with a Korean resident in Japan,
they conceal their crime. For the Korean resident in Japan who commits a crime,
Japan is Heaven!
Japan would be such a much better place if people with racist views like yours would educate themselves. Your comment regarding Koreans in Japan is absolutely disgusting and I pity you for having such narrow-minded views.
I agree with you. We all are living under the same category, per ce. One living in a different place of the world from others certainly do not define who they are. I am Japanese, and am sad to know too that people still think people from each country (in this case, some Japanese people in Japan) think we are distinct in ’species’…
お前本当に馬鹿だぞ。意味がないその論文を書くのは。俺らからみると在日韓国人はお前ら日本人と同じなのでどうでもいい。
This guy is a complete cocksucker with the racist filth he has come out with. He is worse than the Sun in England. I could write more in Japanese but really can’t be arsed to waste my time with this piece of shit.
i don’t think your last comment will help anyone now.
i agree about the mangas. they are filthy.
were are you looking for this guy?
Hey, if you all can call us “GAIJINS” why can’t we call you “JAPS”? I don’t see what’s the big deal here.
On April 1st of 1996 a 16 yr old American girl was abducted and gang-raped by 3 Japanese men around midnight in the Saitama Prefecture (around Kaneko Sta. to be exact) as she was walking home because she was told that the trains had stopped. The 3 rapists were never caught. Why wasn’t this in the Japanese media? When will she ever get her justice?
Anyway, I don’t think a person’s comment should be deleted just because he/she didn’t spell “JAPANESE” out fully. My name’s JENNIFER but my friends call me JENN. I mean with all the racial tension against us foreigners in Japan it’s only natural to feel this way. How can we be sane when were pulled over by the police 4 to 5 times (at the most) just because we look different, or stopped at the train sta. on our way to work only to be hassled by immigration? By the way, a source told me that an immigration officer warned him that us “GAIJINS” will be fined 200,000 yen (NI-JU-MAN) if we don’t have our alien registration cards on us when stopped. I can’t believe how worse this country is getting for us foreigners.
R.I.P. Lindsay Ann Hawker. My heart goes out to your family. God bless them.
The “big deal,” Jenn, is the mindset behind the poster who used the term “jap.” It’s highly unlikely that the poster merely wanted to save a couple of keystrokes when posting. Most likely, the poster was thinking of some negative connotation toward the Japanese. As for (posted by another) that the term “jap” is not offensive in Britain, I argue that it IS offensive, but less so than in the States.
Also, as a foreigner in Japan, I do not appreciate being grouped into your “us” that doesn’t find a problem in using the term “jap.” I also do not have a problem with being called a “gaijin,” unless the the context is derogatory.
I have also been stopped by the police 5 times in the small town that I live in. Instead of holding a grudge against an entire culture, I look at the individual responsible; the individual who stopped me probably indulges in stereotypes and / or is looking to meet a quota. That is all.
Furthermore, just because someone hurts you, hurting them back is not justified.
I join you in being outraged about the lack of reporting of a 1996 rape by the Japanese media… that is, I WOULD join you if I could even find a reference to the event in English. Please, post a link to this, so that more of us may know about what you are referring to.
Both Jap and gaijin should be banned.I hate to be called gaijin.
I lived in Japan for about one year but have not been stopped by police.Then again I didn’t go out much.To be stopped by police so many times is tantamont to harrasemnt in the states.
PS I have never been stopped by police but the bank called me all the time about money transfer of about 200000yen,which I felt pretty odd.In north America,my bank only called me once when I wired money over $20000
I’ve been stopped, but being a foreigner, the two times I got stopped the cops didn’t want to waste their time. I had an international driver’s license and not a Japanese one in one case. It wasn’t worth the cop’s time to file a report. This is true a lot in California, too. Cops will stop you, tell you to slow down, then not give you a ticket. Filing the paperwork just isn’t worth it sometimes.
Bureaucrats are the same wherever you go.
I absolutely agree with David’s comment. I was going to say the exact same thing when I read your comment, but let me omit that part now.
What I want to know and ask you now is exactly the same question as David’s. Who was the girl? I hardly believe you are making this up, so please let us know more in detail. Her name, at least, so that we can try to do something about it? I too am enraged to know that kind of things are constantly happening and are not reported at all.
I deeply regret Ms. Lindsay’s death; she must have been a good asset to the world as a community. I cannot rest either until the guy (that it was a guy we know to be true, according to the media) is caught. I am deeply sorry for her and her family/fiance.
Icecreek, there is nothing anyone can do about it now believe me I’ve tried… Basically what I got from the police is that it’s too late and no longer in their records. Although spending countless hours at the police sta. soon after the incident, the victim gave the officers a decent description of the car she was forcefully pulled into and watched as they left her in an open, malodorous slaughter house full of pigs of the secluded area, but she could not give them a good description of their faces. Hence, ONE of the possibilities the police did not let this go to the media?
In the case of Hawker, the police have a clear description (a photo) of Ichihashi, hopefully they’ll do their homework, their JOB and catch this incriminating bastard. You all have a good day!
Jennifer:
I am so sorry. I did try to look for her files or any record of the crime on the Internet, but I have been unable to find it so far…
The fact that it was not reported in the media depresses me and makes me angry, which I am sure we all feel about things like this… But still, it shouldn’t be done away with, you know? I know you did best you could, and who did not do their best is the police and the media, I agree. They should have been more supportive on these crimes.
I didn’t agree with you but with David on your ‘Jap’ comment, because I don’t say the word ‘gaijin’ to any foreiner here or anywhere in the world(oh, i am Japanese, by the way). It’s because I know what it literally means; yes, it literally means you are something that is not human or outside human, and it’s true that it has the pejorative sound, though most people certainly don’t imply even the slightest comtempt, rather they mean affections by calling them gaijin -casual, and friendly way to call someone from other countries without formality.
But I do very much agree with you on the acount that Japanese police sucks at doing their jobs; they suck more at things that matter (like solving those of humanitarian problems and human rights) than things that are considered to be trivial and do not require much attention (like checking bicycles and removing them away so that they can charge the owners money or catching the speeding cars at night which is also for money, mostly). Of course, I don’t mean any of these are less of a crime, but still, as humans, we should be more supportive and really help for those whose rights have been violated by rogues.
And rape is one of the most, if not simply the most, attention needed crimes in history, anytime, anywhere. And the fact that I cannot do anything about it and no one with power is doing anything about it makes me feel like my rights have also been violated. I feel helpless.
Now that you mentioned it, I know and many of us who have read your comments know that there was a rape that took place in Saitama in 1996, and is not yet solved. I cannot forget this, I won’t forget about this. I am not so sure if this means anything to you and the victim (your acquaintance, perhaps?), especially after well 10 years have passed since then, but we keep trying to vanish that kind of act. I am so sorry.
And about Ms. Hawker. Yes, you are right. This time, the police has the photographic and other evidence that led to that particular suspect for the crime committed. So, we cannot just hope that the suspect is caught, but we must KNOW that the suspect is caught. That is to say, the police must get this guy or they shouldn’t be there at the police.
“On April 1st of 1996 a 16 yr old American girl was abducted and gang-raped by 3 Japanese men around midnight in the Saitama Prefecture (around Kaneko Sta. to be exact) as she was walking home because she was told that the trains had stopped. The 3 rapists were never caught. Why wasn’t this in the Japanese media? When will she ever get her justice?”
Really? I have never heard of that crime….do you have any proof of it?
The guy deserves death penalty even though the Japanese justice system can be lenient sometimes.
Got that right. Obara acquittal in Blackman case.
A replica of the bathtub on the set. The tackiness of tabloid journalism knows no cultural or national boundaries.
I agree. That really is cheap, insensitive and dumb news-reporting. Some of the British media’s reporting of it is similarly crude as well.
Truly a sad story. One hopes that the suspect will be caught soon and we’ll know all the facts.
Sonagi, Japanese news programs tend to veer towards the sensational yet oddly informative. Remember that girl in Hiroshima that was murdered by some foreigner a bit back? She was found in a cardboard box. One reporter tried to re-enact how she was found with a similar size box. And how quickly the media get to crime scenes is scary.
It’s distressing to read the Japan Today comments. Rather than focussing on the sadness of a person dying (if you consider yourself part of the foreigner community then she was one of our own) there are digs at NOVA, slams aimed at the Japanese police including theories that they are planning to cover up the crime and general ranting about Japan. Stay classy Japan Today commenters.
lost in ube,
Yes, the JT comment thread features the usual sewer-worthy idiots, although I suspect JT gives the more offensive anti-Japan posters leeway (wouldn’t be surprised if they are paid to post, quite frankly!) as it increases their hits.
With James on this one, hopefully the next story is about the prime suspect being nicked.
kenji – he won’t get the noose, you only get it for a minimum of two pre-meditated murders as a rule, I believe.
Like to know more about how he outrun the cops: the JT intelligensia are implying they stood around and watched him sprint off, but the morning’s news suggests they chased him down the fire escape but he lost them at the next junction. If he was relatively fit and they were average middle-aged cops, I can understand it a bit, though. Surprised no-one on JT’s expressed disappointment that they didn’t shoot him…
PS: I wish the news would call her Hawker san, not Lindsay san.
I think the suspect’s name is Ichihashi, not Ichikawa. Regardless, let’s hope they find this bastard soon.
I believe Hartz is correct. The crime happened in Ichikawa and the suspect’s name is Ichihashi.
Whoops, corrected. Posted this one in kind of a rush this morning.
I feel very sorry.
Let me pray for the repose of her soul.
Japanese police is sure to catch him.
Just he will not be executed if Ichihashi is the murderer.
He wasn’t a Nova student or her boyfriend, so Nova are right to deny that. He was a private student of hers.
Kenji – In the UK and also Australia saying ‘Jap’ doesn’t have the same negative connotations as it does in the US, to us it is just a shortening. He’s probably just a lazy typer, not a racist.
I think he was intentionally making a racist comment. Even if you replaced his sentence with “Japanese,” it’s still a sentence making a generalized prejudiced sentence. It would have been much more natural to say “they’ll catch that bastard” or “they’ll catch that asshole,” not “they’ll catch that jap”
Indeed he is.
Some Aussies and Brits might not consider “Jap” to be an offensive, but I think many Japanese perceive it to be a pejorative term. Hence its use is banned in most contexts when it comes to the comments section of this site.
Not a bad time to see if Nova protects their workers from stalkers and abusive students. Does anyone know if the foreign teachers have any rights in that regard?
It is such a sad awful tragedy.
I worked for Nova…and you can be sure that they will do everything in their power to cover their tracks…they do not give a toss about teachers and their safety. When I worked for them, one of my students started to harass me and follow me around…when I raised my concerns they simply moved him to another class room…instead of banning him from the school. I resigned shortly after that. They will do anything to try and keep business.
Gotta chime in on this one. When I worked at GEOS there was this creepy old student that kept talking about how he loves young boys (funny story, he asks me and another female teacher to critique his letter on how much he loves young boys and what he wants to do with them; freaking sick, but I digress). No ONE wanted to teach that guy (including myself of course); but leave it up to good ole GEOS to not give two rats petuty about how we feel. I get stuck teaching this guy. All in the pursuit of collecting the cash I suppose. Suffice it to say I don’t work as an ELT anymore (and am glad about it lemme tell ya).
To assure their rights, under Japanese and international law, any worker in Japan, foreigner, teacher or whatever, should look into joining National Union of General Workers Tokyo Nambu.
http://nambufwc.org/
Hey you all should feature my “Young Caucasian Women In Japan” Series on this site. Its relevant to this general issue. Or the “European Women Immigration to Japan”.
Will do, Oniazuma. Thanks for the suggestion!
http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20070328p2a00m0na011000c.html
This is the latest MDN article. Doesn’t look like any breaks in the story have happened yet. It says that she appears to have been beaten. Also, not to sound morbid but I think that some kind of specialist on one of the news programs was saying something about maybe the guy planning to later fill the tub with concrete, hence the sand.
I really hope they catch the guy, but he can probably run faster with shoes on. I don’t have much faith in the J cops.
The guy ran away from a bunch of well trained cops not that far away from him, and without shoes? Hard to believe, but then again the jcops are far more efficient when the matter involves foreigners, in the end i just think the japanese society as a whole, just turn the face away in denial from this kind of abhorrent behavior from one of their kind.
I think it’s fairly understandable that the guy who made the Facebook comment is unconcerned with political-correctness- his friend has just been murdered!
If other such cases are anything to go by, I suspect the next we hear of Ishihashi, he’ll be found hanging from a tree somewhere in a forest near Mount Fuji.
UPDATE
The cause of death was reported on the news tonight – suffocation
Her father and boyfriend were interviewed
kenji – he won’t get the noose, you only get it for a minimum of two pre-meditated murders as a rule, I believe.
well thats ridiculous if true. guess human life isnt worth much…
and yeah being a “jap” in the US, i know all about ppl calling me jap. but i actually do understand your points that they jus shorten it to make it more convenient. its just like vietnamese, i say viet but i guess thats not derogatory. but people ask me all the time, “so you understand jap?” quite frankly, im not that offended but obviously if someone says “theyll catch that jap”, there is definitely a negative connotation. i dont care if your friend just got murdered, if youre a noble person, you would offer condolences in a much different way.
Noble people have moments of weakness too. Also, some people react to bad news in different ways.
I believe the facebook comment is racially motivated. Mitaker has the right reasoning – instead of focusing on the fact that he might be a murderer, a criminal, or just a bad guy, Daniel is only seeing the Japanese side.
Beatrix, be very careful with that logic:
“Kenji – In the UK and also Australia saying ‘Jap’ doesn’t have the same negative connotations as it does in the US, to us it is just a shortening. He’s probably just a lazy typer, not a racist”
Interesting… where did I hear a similar argument? Ah, yes, from Shigeki Saka, the editor responsible for Gaijin Hanzai Ura:
“…another criticism I have heard involves our use of the term “niga,” which appears in the caption of a photo showing a black man feeling up his Japanese girlfriend on the street. I would like to stress that this term has none of the emotive power in Japanese that the N-word does in English — and to translate it as such is unfair. Instead, “niga” is Japanese street slang, just like the language used in the other captions on the same page.”
Source: http://www.debito.org/index.php/?p=224
James – something is wrong with your comment submission. I sent one through three times
I don’t know if she knew him or not, actually I doubt she did, but doesn’t it seem like the Japanese media are trying really hard to make it look like they knew each other? If so, I guess this becomes a crime of passion instead of a random Japanese pervert murders a British girl. Or, maybe it’s just the sensationalistic Japanese media.
The evidence is that some guy followed her home and asked for her phone number but, when I worked at Nova, every female who worked there got followed home or hit on or chikan’d, so I’m not sure what that proves.
To those concerned about the guys use of the word “Jap”, I hardly think worries about non-racist political correctness are at the forefront of his mind right now. It may be that he is racist, it may be that he might regret using that word in future, either way I dont think anyone has the right to berate him over word selection in his time of grief.
My experience (admittedly as a male teacher and no personal examples) of Novas “protection” of staff from unwanted advances from current, or former students is bugger all. Your titled teachers will do what they can, but the company itself couldnt care less.
When weve had problem students in our branch, despite putting our worries in writing, it took ages for them to do anything about it. Despite the fact that even students complained about one particular student, who was there everyday and scared away a large number of students, it took over a year before he was asked to leave.
It will be interesting to find out for sure if this suspect was an ex Nova student or not.
As to him evading the police…its pathetic.
Greg wrote:
“The evidence is that some guy followed her home and asked for her phone number but, when I worked at Nova, every female who worked there got followed home or hit on or chikan’d, so I’m not sure what that proves. “
Wow! Is this a NOVA student thing or a general Japanese adult ESL student thing? In Korea, we women teachers had occasional problems with male students who developed an unhealthy interest in us, but this was not a common occurrence. I’d never heard of anyone being followed home.
Lucky you. It’s happened to every single female Nova teacher I work with… fairly frequently. The staff, Nova, and the Japanese police don’t reveal the slightest concern for the physical or mental well being of any of their teachers. It’s a pathetic company to work for.
Lots of girls get followed home in Japan, myself included…they usually go to the Koban though, they don’t offer English lessons to the guys.
I have been followed around in lots of countries-but I have common sense. Just because Japan is ’safe’ doesn’t mean you check your brains at Narita.
I’m sorry for the family but this story is getting out of hand and makes me nuts. There was a serious lacking of common sense on her part.
There is a REASON most people do English lessons in cafes. If he didn’t have the money-furikomi it, mail it, pay her BEFORE the start of the next lesson.
There is a REASON you don’t talk to stalkers. You REPORT them.
Sarah: I understand your sentiment, but the fact is that we do not yet know at all for certain what really took place, or why she went to that man’t place in the first place, for that matter. At this moment, I believe that Ms. Hawker was a person with a strong belief that everyone deserves to be respected, and that we all have the right to learn, we shouldn’t judge others. However, you are right, something doesn’t add up. But that does not mean she was careless or in any way being unreasonable. We still don’t know the reason yet.
Japanese people’s reaction to this mishap came up to my reactions. Just as was expected, Japanese people didn’t fail to go into action at many websites in order to distort the true nature of the murder case. Is the kernel of a question Lindsay Ann Hawker’s illegal private lessons? Any victimized person himself/herself is more responsible for his/her own death than a murderer just because of illegal tutorage outside of an employed English school? The core of the case is that she had been stalked and was brutally murdered by a man. Japanese people should not try to attract public gaze at something else. They’d better express their condolences to the deceased, help the Japanese authorities to cooperate with the British authorities in handling this murder case. They should know their distortion of the matter will do no good to anything, even to their UJP (Ultra Japan Pride). Do you remember when an American Lucie Blackman was killed by a Japanese man in Japan? At that time, the Japanese mass media concentrated only on her being a bar hostess and her mental anxiety.
Everyone know , she was not an American but a British.
When Japanese was a criminal, media must have been reported perfectly.
Since he was a Korean-resident-in-Japan before, media stopped reporting him all at once.
Since he was naturalized, he was a Japanese, but all his relatives were Korean-residents-in-Japan.
Therefore, pressure was applied to media by XXXXXX.
This reason made the problem complicate.
InJapan, the incident will not be reported when a Korean-resident-in-Japan commits a flagrant crime.
Meia reports only his Japanese name, conceals that he is a Korean,
and it is pretended that Japanese people committed the crime.
If you understand why such a thing happens, other my posts will be seen.
Japan’s real Prime Minister is not Shinzo Abe.
The real person in paramount authority of a shadow is Daisaku Ikeda of Soka-Gakkai .
>Greg
Yomiuri tabloid newspaper explicitly reports that Ichihashi was a “stalker”, and other newspapers also imply he was. I am not sure how TV media have reported the case, but they tend to follow newspapers’ leads in general.
http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/topics/news/20070329-OHT1T00110.htm
市橋容疑者はストーカーだった…「ＮＯＶＡ」講師死体遺棄
http://www.sanspo.com/shakai/top/sha200703/sha2007032905.html
「付きまとわれ困る」死亡の２２歳英会話講師友人が証言
http://gendai.net/?m=view&c=010&no=19074
千葉・市川市のマンションでの英国美女殺害事件は、猟奇的な展開になってきた。
http://www.asahi.com/national/update/0328/TKY200703280392.html
初対面のホーカーさんを繰り返し誘い、帰宅するあとを追いかけていたことがわかった。
They didn’t explicitly say, “They knew each other!” but, this morning on the news, they were going on about how some guy followed her home, and one of the newspeople was suggesting really hard that maybe they were “shiriai… ja nai desu ka?” that kind of thing. They didn’t mention the fact that it was her first time going, and she told her roommate that and everything. It reminded me of the News Telling You What To Think like we have back home, and I just wondered if the media would have an ulterior motive in doing that. Thanks for the citations, Sima.
I really agree that how the Japanese media responds to this is a big deal. We’ll see how it pans out. There’s been a lot of coverage on TV.
Ms. Lucy Blackman is a British.
The murderer is said Korean-Japanese.
What about this time?
I hope that someone who reads this will stop and ponder this poor girl’s fate.
She met her death at the hands of someone she assumed was “safe”. After all we are all told constantly that Japan is “safe”
What I write here might be deleted or misconstrued, so I will speak in general terms.
Resistance or pasivity-which can save your life
Females that are going to live in Japan should be educated about Japanese men and how to AVOID problems with them. and WHAT TO DO if they have problems.
This is something that is VERY important to understand.
A PASSIVE defense-vs-RESISTANCE
An article at a later date might help someone in the future.
ANY PRIVATE LESSON SHOULD BE CONDUCTED IN A COFFEE SHOP.
POSTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO PREVENT THIS FROM HAPPENING AGAIN BY POSTING HELPFUL INFORMATION.
Not sure if you’ve ever lived in Japan much less worked as a foreigner there. Life ain’t very easy. Many people have to make do with what they can. I agree with your perspective about how teachers (as well as students) have to “keep their guard up” when in the company of strangers. It is definitely a good thing to establish (at the very least) a cordially comfortable relationship with your student (or teacher) before allowing them into any residence (be it the student’s or the teacher’s). This principle doesn’t pertain to just Japan; but everywhere. Common sense would be to establish a trust relationship before readily inviting people into homes (remember the don’t accept candy from strangers? Well that also applies to adults too and money being the candy).
HOWEVER (and heres the catch); this doesn’t apply to Ms. Hawkers case. Please correct me if I’m wrong however according to all the news accounts the prime suspect was never a “private” student of hers (just a sick demented stalker that may have taken a class or two at Nova).
James,
In one of my RSS feeds there was an entry about fund-raising for the recent Ishikawa earthquake, and I was about to post regarding it, but then I thought that perhaps fund-raising for Ms Hawker’s family would be more appropriate to support their expenses in Japan. Can anyone find out such info? I’ve also posted this request to Richard Lloyd Parry’s blog.
excuse my for being thick, but where is the bath? normally i would find a bath in my bathroom, not sitting outside on the landing. looks more like a large ice-box, or am i looking at the wrong thing?
WuJouMao,
The suspect moved the bath to the veranda himself. Neighbors reported hearing noise coming from the apartment the night it happened.
NOVA maintained a non socialisation policy with clients. Often teachers had private students, but usually did not recruit NOVA clients. In theory, the policy is designed to protect teachers however, many individuals upholding the policy ie managers, had often married, or dated their students so professionalism boundaries blurred. If your inexperienced its hard to know where you stand.
The customer is always right in Japan, so your always vulnerable. As a company, I did not feel NOVA truly supported its staff, – english teaching is a commodity, foreign teachers are the product.
I worked for Nova for 4 years in Osaka. My experience of life as a gaijin girl is mixed. I have brilliant Japanese friends who I am still very close to, that said I feel safer in central London.
Many times in Osaka fellow colleagues would report flashings, gropings and stalkings to police there and meet indifference, and or ‘ you were asking for it’ attitudes.
Japanese society has a skewed idea about women, and a love hate relationship with foreigners. If you are both, you may receive a lot more attention than you bargained for.
It is worth remembering also that the populace is large, and a care in the community policy is in place. Students once advised me of doctors recommending individuals with mental health issues to take up hobbies like flower arrangement, or learning a foreign language. Japanese people tend to buy the right equipment, go to the right school, so naturally they would go to a native speaker to learn ‘english conversation’
NOVA teachers are degree holders, not always qualified teaching personnel, therefore they may not recognise disturbed behaviour and or special needs support. Again they are vulnerable.
With cultural barriers a huge part of day to day living as a teacher, having adequate skills for coping with culture shock, and all the knock on effects of it, sometimes, you just don’t see a threat in front of you until its too late.
My sympathy goes out to the family.
Over my five years in Japan I’ve heard a shocking number of stories from friends who are female Western teachers, about perverts with wandering hands on overcrowded trains, stalkers, flashers and peeping Toms. Here are some of the the ones I can remember, off hand:
-Two girls were sunbathing in Enoshima and turned around to see a guy masturbating behind them.
-One girl was chased home late at night by a drunken businessman.
-Another girl who was grabbed from behind on the street at night but the man ran off when she started screaming.
- Another girl got flashed at by a man who was masturbating while riding a bicycle!
-A girl was alone late at night, and heard a knock on her door, but when she looked through the spy-hole, she couldn’t see anything, so she didn’t answer it. When she left the house the next day, she discovered someone had put tape over the spy-hole.
-A teenager sat on another woman’s doorstep all night and wouldn’t leave until the police arrived.
- Another girl who arrived home from work to find a golden plaque had been anonymously stuck to her front door, on which was engraved, “I love your purple panties”, (she had been wearing said garment the previous night, and must have neglected to close the curtains. Creepy.)
-Three girls who lived together discovered a peeping Tom had been standing on a crate, looking through their window above the front door and masturbating. This happened on numerous occasions, but when they contacted the police, they said nothing could be done, so the girls had to move out.
These are just the stories that I’ve been told first-hand, so there’s obviously a very serious problem!
To Roaf, Ive heard similar, even identical first-hand stories from female teachers in my years here. Some of them have such difficult times they were compelled to leave. These are stories I did NOT hear from female friends back home.
To Khjapanexpat, a friend recently told me hed seen an interview where Mr Saruhashi (or Sahashi as hes now calling himself) admitted that Nova looks for clients among mental health patients. Exactly how they go about it Im not sure, but Ive noticed certainly in the last 3 years or so, an increase in people on the other side of the table, who are not in the best of emotional/mental condition, to put it nicely. Nowhere in the Nova job description does it mention having to take care of people who should (in some cases) be in hospital. Unless the instructor majored in psychology or psychiatry they are not qualified to be “treating” these people. Even if they did, they came here believing they were going to be teaching English.
There are several very sad things about this..1) people who are obviously in need of medical help are NOT getting it.
2) The doctors who recommend this to their patients should be struck off for neglecting their Hippocratic duties. I suspect they probably receive some kind of kick-back for referrals.
3) Its another example of Novas cold-blooded “suck the cash out of anyone” mentality.
4) People who genuinely want to learn at Nova have their time and money wasted by being in classes with people who are not capable of interacting with other people.
I’d like to think that there was some way this poor unfortunate girl could have saved herself. But he had ENOUGH SAND to fill the bath in his apartment, figured out how to move the bath and maybe more.
It would sewem that this was planned in advance.
YOU have a CAMERA on your cell phone. USE it for SELF-DEFENSE.
PHOTOGRAPH those that stalk you.
Three girls who lived together discovered a peeping Tom had been standing on a crate, looking through their window above the front door and masturbating. This happened on numerous occasions, but when they contacted the police, they said nothing could be done, so the girls had to move out.
A photograph of this man would force the police to do something.
Another girl got flashed at by a man who was masturbating while riding a bicycle!
Shake your fist at him and he will become beligerent-photograph him and he will feel terror.
It doesn’t work all the time, but anyone that you feel is watching you should be photographed and the time-place and date should be noted.
If you are afraid to do it or are unsure of being followed. Have your friend follow you and watch for you. The cell phone makes any pair a force to be reckoned with.
I cannot trust the words of those who comment like a critic, that Japanese society is such and such, the Japanese are such and such when this sort of incident happend though they went there as better country and shared in the benefit of the society and people.
If the country is unpleasant as they say, they have only to leave the country and go to better country.
Or are they prepared to work on improving the unpleasant point even nationalized?
What’s your point George?
Truth is (from personal experience) that Japanese people seem to be just as likely to commit crimes as people are in most places, though the Japanese seems to deny this quite readily.
Nova invests a whopping two hours (from my experience) into teaching/instructing new teachers about Japan and how to live amongst the Japanese, which consists mostly of teaching Nova teachers how NOT to tarnish Nova’s “exceptional” reputation.
Possibly the willingness to be a ELT in Japan is a desire to teach, not just to goof off in a foreign country for a year. That said, any foreigner’s effort to “improve the unpleasant point[s]” of Japanese culture and society will fall greatly upon deaf ears; the popular stereotype here is that foreigners are not to be trusted and foreigners are responsible for all crime.
Excuse my ramble…
I hope that Nova will take this tragic event as an opportunity to realize that they are, to a great extent, responsible for the wellbeing of their teachers. It is possible that better, more extensive and more accurate training/education about the reality of living in Japan might help to be preventative for the future.
But my pessimistic guess is that Nova won’t do anything and that the Japanese police won’t do much either (A guy with no shoes or socks outran them? That speaks volumes).
Tragic as this case (as well as Lucie Blackman’s death) may be. If foreigner’s expect Japan to change their view about human rights there would inevitably need more martyrs before the people of Japan change the way they think about rights.
A lot of us Americans really take for granted the inalienable right to live and work in an environment free from harrasment. I realized how much we as Americans protect our basic human rights after coming back from Japan. At the very least we can expect support from our government. Case in point, even talk about a possibility of sexual harrasment in the States and companies cringe (and the lawyers start calling). Imagine that happening in Japan (not likely).
When a Japanese boy approached to a house in Luisiana with jesting for Halloween, the house owner killed the boy even without warning shot.
The murderer was aquitted of the crime.
It is the country protecting your basic human rights.
Did you campaigned to reform the society, not your treatment?
Though those who are looking down on the society would not be welcome.
By the way, were you performing the duty equivalent to your claim?
Those who are murmuring without taking action are called complainer.
I suppose if someone tried to come to your house in a disguise (perhaps in a threatening manner) you would just welcome them in for a cup of tea? Well America is a very big country; and yes in certain parts of America it is very dangerous. Do I think that it was ok for that guy to be aquitted? Probably No. But I don’t have the full story, nor was I in the Jury to place judgement on that guy. Like I said. I don’t believe that America is perfect. But neither is Japan. At least in the realm of harassment there are laws in America that protect the victims. I don’t presume to speak as you say “murmuring without taking action are called complainer” because I don’t like Japan; I say what I say because I experienced it while living in Japan. Can you say what you say “murmuring without taking action are called complainer” with experience as well? Did you live in America and experience what you believe to be a lack of human rights in America? If so, please explain. If not then it is you who is “murmuring”.
This reminds me of the African-American who reached for his wallet and was shot to death by the police.What went through the policeman’s mind at that moment?He was probably just as scared and had less than one second to decide whether the guy was armed or not.Not to shoot might have meant his own death.What would you do?It was like:your death or his death at that maybe one nano-second.He was called racist after the facts.Is it really fair?Things like this lead people like Ken to conclude America does not protect human rights.
I have lived in both Japan and America.The latter is certainly not perfect.But most Americans I know acknowledge it and try to look for solutions.But in Japan the law safegarding human rights are either not in place or not well enforced.Also,America has gone through feminist movement.
Let’s try to keep this discussion away from “the Japanese are like this” and “foreigners who don’t like it should go home” arguments. I don’t want to start deleting comments.
I’m not implying that this is a Foreigner / Japanese issue. I believe that this is more of a fundamental human rights issue. One that the government needs to support the people and not corporations. I won’t spot light a particular company that seems to be getting the brunt of the bad PR in this whole ordeal. However my point being is instead of seeing more tragedies such as this occur, the community needs to demand change. I run into this same argument with my significant other (who is from Japan). She thinks that Japan is infallible. I believe that Japan is a great country but not exactly perfect. To be fair, I also believe that America (where I’m from) is not perfect either. Just food for thought.
Funny the same thing is happening here too with my Japanese wife.I admit Canada is not perfect
A promising girl passed away.
We only have to express our condolence and wish the killer is arrested.
It is a leap of arguement and can be discourteous that they say the cause of this incident is the Japanese, etc on this occasion as if they could predict it with an elated look.
I have neither idea nor interest on what Nova is like.
Though I do not think Japanese people deny there is the crimes by them, if really so, you should show concrete data.
It would be better to leave such country if they still insist on no crime by them and moreover, live in safer country if any.
I think it is very important for non Japanese women to realize that it is not as safe here as it seems. I have heard the above same stories for many years. Please be a little bit more proactive. I remember 19 years ago (when I lived near the same mentioned station) speaking with American and British female friends who had been stalked.
Where is this sockless killer? He escaped from the police with no spare clothes, no shoes and no money. Where can he be??? It is very doubtful that he is hiding in the park.
He is probably being sheltered by his wealthy parents. I’ve heard that they are both doctors.
Has anyone seen them on tv apologizing for their son’s henious crime?
If not they SHOULD be. The victim’s father is in the country and has spoken to the media. The Japanese media SHOULD be interviewing a very regretful pair of doctors, but to my knowledge they are not.
I completely agree with you, George
>Though I do not think Japanese people deny there is the crimes by them, if really so, you should show concrete data.
I’m fed up with those who have a leap in logic and delusions of grandeur.
David, where in the UK do you live?
>That said, any foreigner’s effort to “improve the unpleasant point[s]” of Japanese culture and society will fall greatly upon deaf ears; the popular stereotype here is that foreigners are not to be trusted and foreigners are responsible for all crime.
>Has anyone seen any Japanese media reports that focus on Ichihashi’s manga reading?
FNN(Fuji News Network) quotes The Sun’s report about that.
But there seems no report by Japanese media.
千葉・イギリス人女性殺害事件 英大衆紙「犯行は暴力的な漫画が影響与えた可能性」
http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/videonews/fnn/20070330/20070330-00000017-fnn-soci.html
イギリスの大衆紙「サン」は、「犯行は、日本の暴力的な漫画が影響を与えた可能性がある」
という内容のコラムを掲載した。
また、「容疑者宅から、女性を暴行する場面もある暴力的な漫画が大量に見つかった」と、
日本では報じられていない情報を載せている。
市橋容疑者は、卒業文集に「でも一番はのぞき。部屋がすぐ女子風呂の前で、夜のぞきに行こう
として窓から抜け出した」と中学時代の思い出をつづっていた。
http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2007140623,00.html
‘Murder copied from a comic’
By VIRGINIA WHEELER
COPS were last night probing the possibility that comic-book fan Ichihachi
copied Lindsay’s grisly murder from a CARTOON story.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2007140800,00.html
By VIRGINIA WHEELER
March 30, 2007
Cops believe the murder may have been copied from a cartoon. Piles of violent Manga
comics ― which feature stories of rape and torture ― were found at Ichihachi’s flat.
Post mortem secrets of woman buried in sand
By Colin Joyce in Tokyo and Nick Britten
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/03/30/wjapan30.xml
Reports also said that Ichihashi was fanatical about Manga cartoons and that police
were looking at the possibility he killed Miss Hawker in imitation of a storyline.
It is just cultural difference, the police dont do much because thing like flashing is like um one of common small crime, doesn’t really hurt anyone. Sort of like in north america where kids throw eggs at house or toilet paper. In Japan you won’t see much of egging or toilet papering, but instead might see some crazy people flashing genital in park, i think latter is safer anyway.
George, it is interesting to hear Lucy Blackman murderer was Korean-Japanese, i did not see that in the news…do you have a news link for this?
Kaien You are a nut case.” Flashing genital in park” is a sign of mental illness. Compare it to egging or toilet papering? In your world flashing someone is safer than throwing an egg. This your public responce. Wow, What color is the sky in your world?…wari wari nihon”.Japan is safety country, we want to internationalize”
Japanese are terribly sensitive as to how they are perceived by the rest of the world, and this horrific story, together with murmurs of police incompetence, will mortify.
well japanese people had better fucking grow up hadnt they!!!
this article contains the most complete account of the lucie blackman case that i can find. it is a disturbing story with eerie parallels to the lindsay hawker killing:
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,108848,00.html
i actually taught at the nova branch in koiwa (where ms. hawker worked) a few years ago and lived just a stop or two away from where she lived. i left long before she got there, but everything i read about this story just makes my heart drop into my stomach. the places are all too familiar…
if ‘jap’ is so bad, what about the japanese term ‘gaijin’ or even ‘gaikokujin’? (both meaning ‘foreigner’) The way they are used just reinforces certain japanese ‘us and them’ stereotypes. Covering a race at the swimming world championships today in which a Japanese woman got a bronze medal, one pundit said (with deliberate empasis) words to the effect of ‘there she was, in a race full of foreigners, but she still came through!’
This would not happen in the UK without a deluge of complaints (and don’ get me started on the 100metre runner back in ‘93 whose excuse for coming last was basically that ‘there were too many n****** in the race!” – again wuith hardly anyone thinking much of it.)
I am living in Japan over 16 years ad here is my comment:
The poor girl was murdered by the Japanese society and government who make men in this country like this looser Ichihashi sick by allowing sexually oriented set up’s like rape and torture mangas, like police that do not follow up staker reports and that do not take any incidents similar against women serious and allowing school girl to walk in short skirts everywhere.
Further, the fact that a foreigner was killed by a Japanese citizen does not motivate the police at all but rather demotivate them to find this Ichihashi killer. Proove enough is that the family of the killer was not even interviewed, was not even bothered by the media, because they are obviously under protection by the government right now.
Also, ridiculous is that the police superintendant in an interview explained that the motive for this killing is not clear yet and that is not clear if the killer or the victim took off her clothes. That show also, that even the police is trying again to protect their beloved Japanese citizen until the end.
And : the real govenment is Japan should be know by now everyone.
Also, the japanese police is a total joke as they cannot even catch up with a bare foot futitive:
what a country,
I can only hope that no foreign teacher would teach these people here any English until the Japanese government officially excuse themself for allowing such sick set ups in Japan and by letting them beiing controlled by the syndicate.
The Japanese police should realize that a killer like this Ichhashi without money and without nothing cannot escape long time unless he gets help and this ins only possible from his parents who live in gifu Ken,
If the Japanese society who believes they can protect this killer believes they can get away with this, should rather hope the police might arrest him before other foreign object might find him, because then he does not need any prison anymore,
Hear, hear. You have raise some very good points, that blind Jpan-lovers hate to look at…
That a point man, the more you live here the more disenchanted you become, awfully true. Good Point there…
A Japanese girl was raped and murdered near Grand Canyon in America a few years ago and the case seemed shrouded in a mystery.
A Japanese tourist was raped and murdered in Australia last year and so did it.
A little girl was murderered in Tochigi prefecture in Japan last year and so did it.
The arrest ratio of Japanese police used to be by far higher than other countries but it seems to have caught up with other countries.
Especially, the more foreigner’s suspec’s escaping abroad, the lower the ratio.
I hope the suspect is caught as soon as possible but am afraid he might escape abroad.
He would have had considerably much money as he lived in that luxurious condominium alone.
But what a stupid policemen they are even taking his athletic strength into account!
I noticed that the webpage for “Proud Korean” is Occidentalism. Please ignore the obvious trolling of Korea-hating Non-Korean.
Steve wrote:
“Covering a race at the swimming world championships today in which a Japanese woman got a bronze medal, one pundit said (with deliberate empasis) words to the effect of ‘there she was, in a race full of foreigners, but she still came through!’
“
At a world championship competition? Hilarious!
With regard to davids “j@p” comment. I am the creator of this forum and david’s comment has been withdrawn (within 24 hours of its posting).
I apologize on his behalf for any offense it may have caused. I believe this is racist and a guidance notice has been posted on group. All posts alluding to such racist comments will be deleted without notice to poster.
Scott Greenwood
Lindsay Hawker – commemoration
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2263769998
This whole thing is a damn shame. I am worried this little freak will commit suicide before we can get more details. It seems they had their lesson at a coffee shop/cafe place but he somehow got her to go to his apartment. What was she thinking!!! Definetly a new girl to Japan and how unfortunate. I hope her killer can be brought to justice.
This story makes me so sad, both for Lindsay and her family and friends. This case also hits close to home as Lindsay was a long time uni flatmate of a acquaintnace of mine in England, and a few of my friends had actually been in her company on several occasions.
I do not know what Japanese society is like other than what we see in America. The university I attended had a large population of Japanese exchange students and my encounters with any of them was warm and friendly. Also there was never any reports of the Japanese males being inapporpriate to any of the American students. Yet these stories of men masterbating outside girl’s windows and being stalked scares the crap out of me.
I am an American FULLY aware of my homeland’s faults and shortcomings. This country has many issues with violence, mostly gun related crimes and things need to be done. I’ve never felt anything but safe in the UK as well, its like the US only diluted on many issues such as civil rights (gay marriage) and gun laws.
My support goes out to Lindsay’s loved ones and my friends as well. We shouldn’t lose site of the fact that this girl @ 22 is dead for no reason at all! It’s a shame!
My heart goes out to the Hawker family…
I’m at a loss for words at the LACK of urgency in the Japanese media towards catching Lindsay Ann Hawker’s killer. So you mean to tell me this cornered killer navigates his way around the police, without SHOES, and no one has seen or heard from him again?!
I’m in Japan and I teach English. I worked at NOVA for one year. I want to know: Why isn’t his FACE being broadcast on the news and in the papers at every opportunity here? Why haven’t I seen his mug shot posted on every train?? INSTEAD of the other randon news articles???
This could have happened to any one of us in Japan and we should all stand together and say THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
Idiots exist in every society. No country can control every citizen’s behavior. But the way this murder is being handled- from the police that day to the media everyday since- is truly disgusting and a slap in the face for every non-Japanese person working in Japan and Linsday’s honor.
And, in the words of Lindsay’s father, this non-reaction HAS “brought shame to Japan” indeed.
If anyone knows about existing groups that are collecting money for her famiy’s expenses or wish to join me in organizing one, please get back to me. When it comes to social injustice, there is NOTHING more despicable than INACTION.
RIP Ms. Hawker, justice will be served.
I don’t know what Japan you’re in, but the Japan I am writing from has had this story at the top of just about every TV news program for days now. I saw Ichihara’s face on TV about 25 times yesterday, with each news program I watched giving several minutes of coverage on new developments in the case. I understand that it is frustrating that the killer has not been captured yet, but that’s no excuse to go mouthing off bullshit on the internet about the Japanese media not giving enough coverage to this story. There are idiots in every society, and you seem to be one of them.
You posted the same crap on gaijinpot.com a few days ago and had the same reaction there.
If you’ve been in Japan for a year, then maybe you should try learning the language, picking up a newspaper, and turning on the Japanese news.
Lindsay’s death is still being discussed on the news everyday. The police released new pictures and the media quickly picked this up and broadcasted it. This morning I saw the tip-line for the Gyotoku police station, along with the newly released photos (again) on Minomonta’s morning show after a piece on the circumstances of her encounter with the suspect and the dangers of privately teaching English lessons.
I don’t think the media has forgotten her. But, although Japan is small, I think it’s pretty easy to disappear deep into the mountains until things blow over.
I am glad scott has sen fit to delete the ‘jap’ post (although i don’t believe the original post was deliberatly provocative). i assume that scott is a japanses speaker and would campaign against the use of ‘gaijin’ in the same way.
such terms ultimately only help racists/nationalsist of whatever country who either encourage their use to reinforce stereotypes, or claim their use shows that the world is against them.
many of the posters here along with opinion elsewhere don’t use the terms, but appraoch the debate over Lndsays death from the same idea.
This is an appalingly tragic event, and weshould remeber the victims before we bandy about accusations. The guy is obviously a very sick young man and needs to be caught, punished, and helped. However, there are sick young men all over the world, and i guess the percentage is the same all over. This is just one case the like of which could, does, and unforetunately will happen elsewhere. Based on one isolated case we cannot say that Japan is a more horrid culture than elsewhere – how hysterical is that?!
it is interesting that many who leap on this one case as evidence japan is dangerous and that many of its menfolk are wanabee rapists are the same who complain the loudest when reactionaries such as Ishihara blame foreigners for all that is wrong in society. You should question why Ishihara says these things, but you should also question why you do to. Remember, Lindsay and her family, friends are victims, and they are individuals that have had their basic human rights violated. Remember this before you atempt to use this case as justificatioon for your national predjudices.
No steve, no japanese. Although, if someone has a room to put me up for a couple of weeks…!!!
Really like to visit sometime, maybe after a few years of working and saving!!
I understood the word jap to be derogatory to the japanese so I saw it fit delete posts. Fortunately this was the only one,
Scott
Lindsay Hawker – commemoration
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2263769998
To Oda:
Do you have an evidence that Ichihashi is a Zainichi Korean? Your theories about Sokka Gakkai and Zainichi control of the media do not count as evidence, and I have deleted several of your long rambling posts about Korean-run conspiracy theories. In the future, similar off-topic rants will be deleted.
Sorry Sorry.
I ve never said Ichihashi is a Korean.
I said only the case of Lucie Blackman.
Now you ‘ll look my theories is foolish and prejudicial,
after some years later. you will find what I wrote several of my long rambling posts .
Several years ago, if I posted that a thing , I’ll be an ass hole.
But by Innternet, Japanese has noticed what media concealed from post wartime. What I posted was a copy which is commom topics,
be able to be caught everywhere in Internet in Japan.
That is not my theories, commonn sense in Japan Internet.
Every one know that , but noone never say since they is afraid of taboo.
Japanese media peport never report the truth.
It is ill.
After some years later. you will find.
Please other my posts remained instantlly.involbed this post.
Thank you. Good Bye.
James, there’s a new testimony from a taxi driver: http://www.news24.jp/81104.html
if a japanese young girl killed like this, that wouldnt be as big as this news.
in total 23years in japan, i have never heard girls around me have ever told me that she saw the guy mastubating behind her.
neither from my female friends from NZ, Oz, Usa, france, russia, etc. but quite shocking to read that sickness happended often in my home country. maybe true, or might be exagerated. which i dont know.
this aricle has some concrete data about crimes.
http://women.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/women/families/article1613834.ece
there are small amount of sick people in every society. and how it will be nice not to waste time discussing like this if more people simply realize the preferred fact that its up to the individual.
This is so stupid one kill well i guess its alot but japan is taking this way to far. I meen i live in new york and your hear about like 20 kills a day man. The reason there taking it so far is becasue the girl is white if the girl was japanese they wouldent take it as far. But yes it is horrible. But yes the guy is probally korean damn koreans. Im not racits at all but white people only care about themselves. Example if a black guy died, Asian guy died, Indian Guy died, or a Latino guy died. They would show it on the news but not as long maybe like 30 seconds. White person died like 20 minitues. They favor white people to much and it has to change. NO IM NOT JEALOUS. Even on wheel of fortune they do ive seen it colored guy spins ‘BANKRUPT’ OR ‘LOSE A TURN’ white person most likely ‘Blonde Girls’ spins they get the Bucks. I Read in a book japan has like no murders most likely suicides. Maybe this is just a publicity STUNT. That guy IS A SICK MAN he deserves to die. Note this really has nothing to do with the murder just the japanese News cast. Thank You.
Non-Japanese do not have knowledge about Japanese !
Japanese is the race weakest in English in Asia and have yearning in English.
Therefore, a school like NOVA always prospers.
Japanese people do not get angry even if you say “JAP” to the Japanese .
because we do not have familiarity in English .
Although there is much scornful name to Japanese people, they do not care about them.
You do not know scornful name in which Japanese people get angry truly and go mad.
Arguing about “JAP” here is absurd.
Only scornful name which Japanese people are said and gets angry
“You are the fellow like ○○○ ”
I do not write ○○○ here, avoiding someone’angry. Please guess.
Please ask other Japanese people what ○○○ is.
○○○ itself is no scornful meaning, and is not English but Japanese.
Even if Japanese, everyone knows. But for Japanese media,it is a taboo.
Is there a missing character in this unfolding drama?
from judgeichiro.spaces.live.com/
“As spring comes to Tokyo, it becomes clear that a British English teacher has been killed. Thomas Browne, believing himself responsible, begins a series of recollections to discover how a handful of innocent and unrelated quotations could possibly have led to the tragic death. He recalls the bizarre letters exchanged with ‘Ichiro’, a Tokyo judge who both led and followed him along the path to the crime.”
I’d put you up at mine, but unfortunately it looks like I’ll be out of here and winging my way back to Blighty in the next month or two.
Is there too much coverage?It is not easy to answer.At least it is not all over CNN.If I say there had been too much coverage on rachi/korean kidnapping,Japanese would most likely think otherwise.
From what we know about the case,to be stalked and murdered in this way,it is still a heinous crime whether the victim is Caucasian or not.To get more coverage may well be a reflection of the hard work of the victim family rather than a bias.Any possible bias comes from both sides.From what I gather from posters,books,etc,there may be in existance a racial pecking order with Caucasian at the top but this is more likely a result of the admiration of the Japanese rather than pompisity of Caucasian.
This might happen anywhere in the world.Maybe,the only possible good to come out of this tragedy is to rock people out of their delusion that Japan is immune from violent crimes and to highlight what needs improvements in terms of law and enforcement.Still,the cost of a beautiful and innocent soul is way too high.May you rest in peace.My thoughts and prayers are with the family.
-Post deleted by admin: off-topic discussion about the word “gaijin” and racism in Japan-
-Post deleted by admin: off-topic discussion about the word “gaijin” and racism in Japan-
-Post deleted by admin: off-topic discussion about the word “gaijin” and racism in Japan-
-Post deleted by admin: off-topic discussion about the word “gaijin” and racism in Japan-
My heart goes out to Lindsay’s family and friends. Still can’t believe this terrible crime has happened here in Japan. Such a horrible shock! I hope the police catch the #$%&er!
A couple of points:
-Why is there a ‘jap’ comment at the top of this page? Is it really necessary?
-Why do the Japanese press continue to refer to her a Ms. Lindsay instead of Ms. Hawker? Is there no way to stop this blatant racism?
Sorry, made a typo in my previous post I meant to write ‘gaikokujin’ not ‘gaikokojin’.
Before I comment on this I do want to say that I love Japan, have many friends still in Japan and enjoyed my 7 years living there. I left the 2nd week of April, while this whole investigation was going on.
Gaikokujin is the polite way to say foreigner – gaijin is not. It is usually used derogatorily. You will never hear a news broadcaster refer to a foreigner as ‘gaijin’ only as ‘gaikokujin’.
Japan is one of the safest places to live – especially if you’re a male.
I have heard that many Japanese men believe western women are easy, love sex and are basically sluts. Rape is also a big problem in Japan because it is rarely reported. Aside from the shame experienced by the victim, most police and officials don’t really see it as a crime.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/09/02/world/main571280.shtml
http://www.abc.net.au/abccontentsales/s1316192.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3025240.stm
For this murder investigation I do love how all the police gathered at the front of the ‘mansion’. They did not secure the perimeter, all exits were not covered and they all walked up the same side of the building together. Ridiculous. It seems as though they thought he would just run to the waiting cars in front of the building, can’t imagine why he would escape out the back – he must have been a crafty criminal! (I watched the cgi break down they played on the news of how the police let him get away while I was still in Japan.)
I do not have much confidence in the Japanese police and am afraid that they will never catch this guy. I mean come on, it takes about 5 cops to conduct a traffic stop after pulling over a motorist for a moving violation.
This week, a mayor in the Nagasaki area was killed. They eventually found the murderer in less than half a day. I believe the murderer was affiliated with the Japanese mob.
How can the Japanese police not find Lindsay’s murderer after 4 weeks? Does being the mayor as compared as being an English teacher get more priority? What a world.
There’s a huge difference: that guy shot the mayor at point-blank rage while police are present, allowing himself to be caught within seconds of the shooting.
Robbi, the mayor’s killer was caught the instant he did the shooting. But other than that, yes, polticians get more priority. That’s true everywhere.
The Japanese police is doing their job okay. There are more to catching a murderer than just sitting in front of your computer and whine. You guys need to be patience. There are murderers in the U.S that are still on the run.
I really want to thank you, Annie, for your reassurance. Next time the cops stop me in the street claiming my bicycle lights were not on when they were on, I will think of you. I really appreciate your insight, or should I say insider input?
uh okay
they will catch him on May 1. sad story all around…
Ahhh. Some people say Jap just as a shorter way of saying Japanese, without meaning offense, but I guess you have to be careful of what situation you’re using it is.
This is a sad story. I myself want to move to Japan and am thinking of trying Nova out, and I’m scared enough about moving there by myself. But I guess you can’t let fear rule your life. There are sick, sadistic people all over the world, and if they don’t get punished by the justice system, then they do get punished eventually, either through karma or other means. I’m glad to see that the Japanese media is helping out in any way they can and that this case hasn’t simply been forgotten. Japan seems like a nice place, where this sort of thing doesn’t happen as often as in other countries, and it’s good to see that people everywhere sympathize with this situation.
Not to sound like a bleeding heart, but is there any proof this guy actually did it? He certainly fits the type, and it sounds likely. But was there any physical evidence like fingerprints or DNA samples left behind? Maybe the press can’t release that information, but just becuase the guy’s a creep doesn’t make him guilty.
If he is guilty then yes, I say give him the death penalty. Since he’s in Japan it will probably take about 20 years or so for it to happen. Nice to know there’s ONE place in the world that takes longer than California. Or maybe it’s not so nice.
…
Dude, the body was found in his apartment moments after he fled the scene. He was the last person to be seen with her. The circumstantial evidence, it is STRONG.
That said, there probably is a good deal of physical evidence. The police have refused to release any info on whether the victim was sexually assaulted or not, which makes me think there are some privacy concerns.
If you are foreigner in Japan be hesitating to ask Japanese Police to helping you any time
This japanese murderer looks freaky
…intelligent comment. thanks.
James, Richard Lloyd Parry has a small update on the issue.