NOVA British female teacher murdered

[made of stone]

This kind of story makes me wonder if Japan lulls people into a false sense of security. I think we can all agree that Japan is generally safer than many western countries, but did that mindset perhaps play a role in how long she allowed this guy to hang around?

Yes, I think the comparative safety of life in Japan in many ways may lead to some foreigners becoming a little too incautious at times.

I also think perhaps there's a sort of 'pendulum' effect at work. When we first go to live abroad, or for an extended period, most of us are super-cautious and question everything. Once we relax, discover it's pretty safe, and get used to our surroundings, we may become a little too over-confident imho.

It's too early to say if either of these possibilities were factors in this case, I think.

One thing confusing me right now is the latest suggestion that the suspect lured Lindsay back to his apartment after their 'lesson', while initial reports said that she'd left his address at home before even going out to meet him.

Anyway, let's hope for a breakthrough very very soon.

 

[thistle]

I have been following this story closely, maybe we will never know how he lured her into his apartment. The part that worries me most is that he may never be found, the Japanese police are so incompetent. Perhaps they need to bring a few detectives from the U.K. to help them along with this.

It made me think back to when I did some private lesson in Tokyo, most people (myself included) live in a small room, so I only once gave lessons there, and that was to a couple. Most people, like she did, gave them in a public place.

My heart goes out to her family, and I know I cried when I saw that picture of her father weeping in the newspaper.

 

[misa.j]

The part that worries me most is that he may never be found, the Japanese police are so incompetent.

I know. When a crime like this happens, I would expect the police to be all over the surrounding areas searching for the suspect.

I don't get enough media information to know how it's been handled except I read that the photos of the suspect are shown on TV several times; it does make me wonder what kind of investigation they are doing.

 

[KirinMan]

I know. When a crime like this happens, I would expect the police to be all over the surrounding areas searching for the suspect.

I don't get enough media information to know how it's been handled except I read that the photos of the suspect are shown on TV several times; it does make me wonder what kind of investigation they are doing.

I think you may find that the police do not divulge as much information here about their ongoing investigations as they sometimes do in the states.

Sure there are updates on the news programs but they don't give out the details. Just because there is a "lack" of information doesn't mean the police are not doing their jobs.

You know the Japanese police are noted for catching their suspects/crimminals. I wouldn't go so far as to brand the entire police agency here as incompetent, there are a few rotten apples, but what police force doesn't.

 

[thistle]

No, not completely incompetent, but I did not think they were noted for catching their criminals, certainly not speedily.

What I'm wondering, and this was also mentioned on Japan Today, is how surprising it is that the suspect's family has not been on the news much.
Although I have to confess I don't watch Japanese T.V. much anymore,normally the japanese media are hounding them.

 

[thistle]

Interesting article I found through a different group I belong to,
here is the link:

The Times & The Sunday Times

I found I agree with most of it except, where he said that break-in's in Japan are rare, there may be more just don't have the article in front of me right now.

well, that didn't come out right, let me try again

The Times & The Sunday Times

 

[thistle]

okay, it should say 'life(underscore) and (underscore) style' in the middle.

 

[made of stone]

I wonder if anyone in Japan can tell me if there's been any small news in the papers or on TV in the last week or so about this case?

There's been absolutely nothing heard here in the UK, and I can't seem to find anything new from the internet at all...

I'm guessing there must have been at least a little something in the Japanese Press, if only to say 'there's been no progress'?

Many thanks.

 

[epigene]

I wonder if anyone in Japan can tell me if there's been any small news in the papers or on TV in the last week or so about this case?
There's been absolutely nothing heard here in the UK, and I can't seem to find anything new from the internet at all...
I'm guessing there must have been at least a little something in the Japanese Press, if only to say 'there's been no progress'?
Many thanks.

We're not hearing anything much, either, except for some sporadic programs focused on the English language teaching business and how female teachers try to protect themselves.

No news on the killer. Rumors are circulating in 2ch that his parents (doctors by profession) have sent him off somewhere to go into hiding. But, I personally think he's killed himself somewhere, since the police hasn't found any trace of his leaving the country, etc.

 

[made of stone]

So many thanks for the update, epigene-san.

I'm very sad to hear there's been no progress at all, but things sometimes work like that, of course. All we can do is hope that the killer is reprimanded as soon as possible.

I do hope also that the media haven't been too sensationalist about the dangers of teaching in Japan - I met many many hundreds of female teachers while I was there, through my work, and I would still say that generally Japan is a much safer place than some of our Western nations.

 

[Davey]

Well a lot of other teachers are coming up with their stories about stalkers. I found this article for you, maybe an interesting read:

'I was stalked in Japan like Lindsay'

 

[maushan3]

I don't know much about Japanese media and how much amount of time they talk about a subject, so... would this happen, the case not receiving many media attention because she is a foreigner killed by a Japanese?

Mauricio

 

[Davey]

I think there was more media attention about this murder, than any other murder like this "because she is a foreigner killed by a Japanese".

 

[happy gaijin]

It is very sad to hear about this, my condolences go out to the family.

Let's just prey this man is caught and does his time. However, it still won't bring back Lindsay Hawker.

 

[made of stone]

Well a lot of other teachers are coming up with their stories about stalkers. I found this article for you, maybe an interesting read:

'I was stalked in Japan like Lindsay'

Many thanks for that Dutch, I appreciate it.

Actually, i'd already read that one - it was the only thing i'd seen here in the UK recently. Are there others? You wrote 'a lot' but like I say, that's the only one I've been able to find so far.

My interest in is that I hope any such reports are fairly balanced and not sensationalised for shock-value.

 

[Davey]

More:

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20070417zg.html

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fl20070410zg.html

 

[diceke]

Well a lot of other teachers are coming up with their stories about stalkers. I found this article for you, maybe an interesting read:

'I was stalked in Japan like Lindsay'

Perverted Japanese males are now world-famous!

 

[Davey]

That's also something that makes this murder look even more worse, the british and other media are taking a closer (maybe to close, zoom it in) on the Japanese society of crazy Japanese males.

 

[made of stone]

That's also something that makes this murder look even more worse, the british and other media are taking a closer (maybe to close, zoom it in) on the Japanese society of crazy Japanese males.

Thanks for the links, Dutch. They were pretty interesting reading.

The Japan Times is published in Japan, isn't it? As I said, as far as I know there's been absolutely nothing in the British press whatsoever since the link you gave from the Daily Mail, so I don't really think the British media have focused on this case at all since it happened.

Perhaps that'll all change today or tomorrow, though, with the Lucie verdict on its way.

 

[made of stone]

Well the verdict on Obara was handed-down yesterday (a link from the main BBC story):

Man cleared over death of Lucie

I do hope and pray that the years of fighting to no avail by the Blackmans to gain justice for Lucie won't put off Lindsay's family, but it's hard to think they'll be anything but greatly demotivated by the result of that trial...

Surely, they must now fear that even if the suspect's caught, without a confession he may not be found guilty?

 

[basuotoko]

Has this guy still not been caught? I recently saw on TV some security camera footage of him alone in the elevator of some building. You could see him obsessively fretting over his clothing and hair in the reflection of the elevator door, but I didn't catch whether it was recently captured or not. I find it nearly unbelievable that in a country like Japan someone can go on the run like this for so long without being caught. What's even more amazing is the police let him escape from the scene of the crime.

 

[Ewok85]

Wouldn't be too hard - grow your hair out, or cut it short. Grow a tash or beard. Wear completely different clothes. Its not too hard to attain a new identity in Japan if you are Japanese either.

 

[Elizabeth]

We're not hearing anything much, either, except for some sporadic programs focused on the English language teaching business and how female teachers try to protect themselves.
No news on the killer. Rumors are circulating in 2ch that his parents (doctors by profession) have sent him off somewhere to go into hiding. But, I personally think he's killed himself somewhere, since the police hasn't found any trace of his leaving the country, etc.

The Hawker family may now be able to find some peace of mind, such as it may be. Clearly Ishihashi didn't have the fight for it anymore and did all but give himself up in the end. Most likely on the way for Okinawa to commit suicide.

 

[Ashikaga]

According to this news show I watched this morning, he had a decent amount of cash and a toy gun when he was arrested. He was desperate alright. Desperate enough to consider using a toy gun maybe to rob someone and continue on his life on the run. But at the end, he just gave up like Elizabeth said.

My heart goes out to the victim's parents. The hardest part for them is yet to come, I think. Now they will have to learn the details of their daughter's last moments. It may bring a closure of some sort, yes, but very difficult thing to do all the same.

The media scrutity of the suspect's parents has already begun. They are criticizing the matter-of-factness of the interview they gave last night after the arrest. I wish the media left them alone. It doesn't matter how they come across. They must have suffured greatly.

 

[made of stone]

OK I realise I am replying to some really old comments here, but I hope the OPs don't mind, as I personally believe the points are still relevant, hope anyone doesn't mind :

I think there was more media attention about this murder, than any other murder like this "because she is a foreigner killed by a Japanese".

Wasn't rather it the fact that the family were able to further publicise the murder because she was foreign - and if so, who could blame them? The fact that she was killed by a Japanese national seems irrelevant - it would have been a large media story in Japan whatever the nationality of the killer. That she was killed in Japan, and that the local police were so incompetent, and that the killer was on the run for so long, seem to be the main points.