Eikaiwa teacher murdered

[Shawn]

The guy was desperate. I think I would have done the same thing. The yaks probably are more effective than the cops.

Yeah, I might shake hands with the devil, too, if I were in his boots. Interesting they were watching over him. Watching to make sure the cops didn't bother him?

[Mogura]

The guy was desperate. I think I would have done the same thing. The yaks probably are more effective than the cops.

After getting nowhere with the J-cops, the guy was probably applying the old adage, "Never send a boy to do a man's job..."

[Shimano]

Just watched the documentary; interesting, and a well put together insight into both accounts.

Do you have a link for that?

I 'acquired' it from a popular UK TV torrent site...

[Tall Tall Tree]

The guy was desperate. I think I would have done the same thing. The yaks probably are more effective than the cops.

Okay, but what stake would they have in it? Or want in it? What motivation did they have to get involved (if this is indeed true)?

[Wage Slave]

The guy was desperate. I think I would have done the same thing. The yaks probably are more effective than the cops.

Okay, but what stake would they have in it? Or want in it? What motivation did they have to get involved (if this is indeed true)?

They claim to be on the side of good rather than evil. There was a theory, favoured by the police, that he had disappeared into the sex trade/night trade. If he were ensconced somewhere in that trade then the yakuza would be the people to find him through their network. They said that they would ask their network to look out for him and they also offered to protect the family while passing out leaflets on the street. Sure enough, they did post a hood to make sure no-one gave Mr Hawker a hard time. Whether or not that was needed is another issue.

The Hawkers only finally talked to the yakuza after 2 years of patient, quiet diplomacy and playing polite ball with the police had produced no discernible results.

I watched the program today. The conclusion was that the reason he was caught was the fact that the Hawker family refused to let the story die. It was their persistence and sacrifice of their privacy to keep it in the public eye that finally prompted someone at that plastic surgeon's in Nagoya to put two and two together.

[allblacks]

Exactly. A lot of people dont realize that the yaks run totally legal businesses and actually contribute quite a lot to society on many levels in Japan. Not just the pachinko/love hotels/etc that are stereotyped. It never ceases to amaze me when I go to port here. They basically own the ports.

[Sankyuberymucho]

Did they ever find out who helped Ichihashi when he first disappeared? I find it hard to believe he was able to sucessfully evade police in the first few months following the murder without significant help? Who did the first batch of plastic surgery for example? Did Ichihashi ever spill his guts?

It is laughable how he managed to escape from the cops when they went to his apartment.

I don't know what the truth is in this case, but on the face of it, the Japanese police are pretty hopeless at investigating serious crime. They appear even less motivated if there is a foreign woman involved. How many crimes did the guy who killed Lucy Blackman commit before he was finally apprehended?

[angryboy]

Exactly. A lot of people dont realize that the yaks run totally legal businesses and actually contribute quite a lot to society on many levels in Japan. Not just the pachinko/love hotels/etc that are stereotyped. It never ceases to amaze me when I go to port here. They basically own the ports.

They were the go to men after the war.Food was scarce but anything could be gotten through them for a price.
Maybe he paid them some cash to help him.
Maybe the rumour that they were protecting him was bringing a lot of unwanted heat and they wanted to be seen as helping the Hawkers.
Maybe one of the Yaks had a daughter the same age and sympathized with them.
Who knows why and who cares.If the Yakuza helped bring results that the keystones couldn`t , then I would go the
same route should I ever be in such a hopeless situation.

[Lamarr]

Just watched the documentary; interesting, and a well put together insight into both accounts.

Do you have a link for that?

I 'acquired' it from a popular UK TV torrent site...

Here it is. It's on the Channel 4 website until the end of April.

http://www.channel4.com/programmes/lost ... -story/4od

[Shimano]

Good luck getting 4OD to work from outside the UK...

[Wage Slave]

I use https://www.blackvpn.com/

PM me if you want a referral code. They used to be free but sadly not any longer. Still, 5 Euros a month isn't too bad and I have found the service reliable.

[Shimano]

thebox.bz

All you will ever need.

[Wage Slave]

thebox.bz

All you will ever need.

For most practical purposes, true.

[Shimano]

thebox.bz

All you will ever need.

For most practical purposes, true.

You a member then? Feel free to buddy up on there and swap stuff.

[Tall Tall Tree]

Exactly. A lot of people dont realize that the yaks run totally legal businesses and actually contribute quite a lot to society on many levels in Japan. Not just the pachinko/love hotels/etc that are stereotyped. It never ceases to amaze me when I go to port here. They basically own the ports.

I'm fine with them running pachinko parlors and love hotels and ports. Things like protection rackets, though, are inexcusable - simple outright bullying.

I understand the Hawkers' frustration with the police - though it often seemed like their persistence crossed the line into being pesky.

[medway garage]

The full 'Lost Abroad' documentary is now available for all to see on YouTube ,I felt myself getting very angry watching this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vNgn4C7Yppg

[Mogura]

Some news on this...

Source: http://www.japantoday.com/category/crim ... rraignment

Ichihashi says he didn't mean to kill Hawker at pre-trial arraignment
Monday 28th June, 03:34 PM JST

CHIBA —
A man who is the prime suspect in the 2007 murder of British teacher Lindsay Hawker repeated he did not intend to kill her during the first session Monday of a pre-trial arraignment on the case at the Chiba District Court, according to his defense.

The defense said that 31-year-old Tatsuya Ichihashi plans to contest charges of murder and rape resulting in death, while planning to plead guilty to abandonment of the victim’s body.

Ichihashi is currently being housed in a hospital ward of a detention center and is ‘‘feeling ill mentally,’’ a defense lawyer said, adding he has been complaining about not being able to keep private possessions.

A full trial for Ichihashi has yet to open. The next pre-trial session, during which points of contention are narrowed among judges, prosecutors and defense lawyers, is due to be held July 12.

Ichihashi was arrested last November in Osaka after being on the run for about two years and seven months, and faces several charges, including the murder of the 22-year-old English instructor at his home in Ichikawa, Chiba, in March 2007.

He had eluded a police hunt in part by undergoing plastic surgeries.

[S-B]

A similar article here:

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/national ... 7000c.html

Ichihashi denies he intended to kill British woman at pretrial conference

CHIBA -- Tatsuya Ichihashi, currently under indictment for allegedly killing a British woman in the Chiba Prefecture city of Ichikawa in 2007, denied any intention to kill the victim during the first pretrial conference at the Chiba District Court on June 28.

Ichihashi, 31, faces charges in connection with the death of 22-year-old English teacher Lindsay Ann Hawker, including murder and rape resulting in death.

"It is true that Ichihashi's actions caused Lindsay's death, but he had no intention of killing her," an attorney for Ichihashi said, partially denying the indictment and announcing the defendant's decision to fight the allegations in court. Ichihashi, who also attended the pretrial conference, complained that he had been given discriminatory treatment in custody, including restrictions on his movements, and appealed for better conditions, his defense team later told reporters.

Ichihashi's case will be discussed at a lay judge trial. The trial date has not yet been determined.

According to the indictment, Ichihashi stands accused of punching Hawker in the face, tying up her wrists and raping her, and strangling her to death in his apartment in Ichikawa around March 25, 2007. The suspect is then believed to have abandoned the victim's body on his balcony.

The bold is mine. What a surprise.

[allblacks]

The translation must be amiss. He didnt mean to kill her but admits strangling her to death? What a charmer he is! And WHY DOES HE GET A PRESS CONFERENCE? He should be in a jail cell 24/7.

[Shawn]

The translation must be amiss. He didnt mean to kill her but admits strangling her to death? What a charmer he is! And WHY DOES HE GET A PRESS CONFERENCE? He should be in a jail cell 24/7.

Conference is a bad choice of words. More like he had an arraignment. Still, WTF is up with the excuse? "I didn't mean to kill him/her" is a standard non-apology. I didn't mean to kill my baby/brother/aunt/sister/brother/mother/father with the axe/ice pick/hammer/knife/lead pipe/candlestick. Who knew weapons could kill?

[allblacks]

The translation must be amiss. He didnt mean to kill her but admits strangling her to death? What a charmer he is! And WHY DOES HE GET A PRESS CONFERENCE? He should be in a jail cell 24/7.

Conference is a bad choice of words. More like he had an arraignment. Still, WTF is up with the excuse? "I didn't mean to kill him/her" is a standard non-apology. I didn't mean to kill my baby/brother/aunt/sister/brother/mother/father with the axe/ice pick/hammer/knife/lead pipe/candlestick. Who knew weapons could kill?

It is the same as celebrities getting into trouble then all of a sudden having a religious experience.

[Smokescreen]

I understand the Hawkers' frustration with the police - though it often seemed like their persistence crossed the line into being pesky.

How do you mean 'pesky'? Did the Hawkers do anything that would be considered rude or outrageous, not having a go, just curious as to what you meant? As, if I had a family member murdered and the bastad that had done it had slipped through the Police's hands, I would be pretty persistent to the point of 'pesky' as well.

[katamari]

The translation must be amiss. He didnt mean to kill her but admits strangling her to death? What a charmer he is! And WHY DOES HE GET A PRESS CONFERENCE? He should be in a jail cell 24/7.

as you well know, ABs, im far from being a hard man. soft as shite would be a better description...but i dont think being locked up 24/7 is good enough. 1 minute with a group of pissed up brits is just what he needs. nothing fatal, just a good fucking kicking.

[allblacks]

I disagree. Refuse him sunlight. Solitary for 5 years. Rambo him in a pit. Something like that.

[Shawn]

as you well know, ABs, im far from being a hard man. soft as shite would be a better description...but i dont think being locked up 24/7 is good enough. 1 minute with a group of pissed up brits is just what he needs. nothing fatal, just a good fucking kicking

Given England's performance at the World Cup, I doubt they could manage.

[Smokescreen]

as you well know, ABs, im far from being a hard man. soft as shite would be a better description...but i dont think being locked up 24/7 is good enough. 1 minute with a group of pissed up brits is just what he needs. nothing fatal, just a good fucking kicking

Given England's performance at the World Cup, I doubt they could manage.

I don't know, the English football hooligans can usually be relied upon to beat the living daylights out of someone

[Tall Tall Tree]

I understand the Hawkers' frustration with the police - though it often seemed like their persistence crossed the line into being pesky.

How do you mean 'pesky'? Did the Hawkers do anything that would be considered rude or outrageous, not having a go, just curious as to what you meant? As, if I had a family member murdered and the bastad that had done it had slipped through the Police's hands, I would be pretty persistent to the point of 'pesky' as well.

Well, from what I can recall, they were often in contact with the police seeing if they had new leads, and at press conferences back home they would complain about the slow progress of the case… I just know that when I'm working, it can be pretty demotivating to have the client behind my shoulder going "Are you done yet? Any progress? How come you're not done yet? Man, you suck at this!" Kind of a bad analogy, but hopefully you get what I mean.

[MacGyver]

I understand the Hawkers' frustration with the police - though it often seemed like their persistence crossed the line into being pesky.

How do you mean 'pesky'? Did the Hawkers do anything that would be considered rude or outrageous, not having a go, just curious as to what you meant? As, if I had a family member murdered and the bastad that had done it had slipped through the Police's hands, I would be pretty persistent to the point of 'pesky' as well.

Well, from what I can recall, they were often in contact with the police seeing if they had new leads, and at press conferences back home they would complain about the slow progress of the case… I just know that when I'm working, it can be pretty demotivating to have the client behind my shoulder going "Are you done yet? Any progress? How come you're not done yet? Man, you suck at this!" Kind of a bad analogy, but hopefully you get what I mean.

Yes I would equate what you do to a murder investigation and your client(s) to the parents of a murdered girl....

[Mogura]

I understand the Hawkers' frustration with the police - though it often seemed like their persistence crossed the line into being pesky.

How do you mean 'pesky'? Did the Hawkers do anything that would be considered rude or outrageous, not having a go, just curious as to what you meant? As, if I had a family member murdered and the bastad that had done it had slipped through the Police's hands, I would be pretty persistent to the point of 'pesky' as well.

Well, from what I can recall, they were often in contact with the police seeing if they had new leads, and at press conferences back home they would complain about the slow progress of the case… I just know that when I'm working, it can be pretty demotivating to have the client behind my shoulder going "Are you done yet? Any progress? How come you're not done yet? Man, you suck at this!" Kind of a bad analogy, but hopefully you get what I mean.

When your workers have a proven record of incompetence, sometimes you're left with no choice but to project manage the situation yourself--especially when success is paramount...

[Ziggy]

So he tied her up. He raped her and beat her senseless but didn't mean to kill her? Is there anybody on the planet stupid enough to believe him?