Another quick post pointing to an article published in the Mainichi Shimbun today about Linday's parents attending the upcoming trial of her killer, Tatsuya Ichihashi.
According to the piece, the trial date is being adjusted to accommodate the Hawkers' visit to Japan. Ichihashi's defense team also made mention of transferring book royalties to the family, despite the fact that they've said they want nothing to do with it (see Jan. 27 Yomiuri Shimbun article).
The dynamic in the courtroom is sure to be very interesting.
2011年2月1日火曜日
2011年1月26日水曜日
Ichihashi's Book Published Today in Japan
A quick post regarding the surprising news that Lindsay Hawker's killer Tatsuya Ichihashi has written a book about his time on the lam.
Released today by publisher Gentôsha, the tome is entitled 「逮捕されるまで 空白の2年7カ月の記録」("Taiho sarerumade - Kûhaku no 2-nen 7-kagetsu no kiroku," "Until I Was Arrested - Diary of a 2 Year and 7 Month Gap").
Japan Probe may have been first to cover the news in English, including a video of a recent TV segment on the remote location Ichihashi hid away for part of his escape from justice.
The Japan Times also published an excellent article by Jun Hongo today, which you can read here. Very interesting are details on the initial minutes and hours after Ichihashi's barefoot escape from the police.
The book's release is being well covered in the western media as well (Google News search results for "Tatsuya Ichihashi book" here).
As more details come to light, this case furthers its reputation as one of modern Japan's most baffling.
Released today by publisher Gentôsha, the tome is entitled 「逮捕されるまで 空白の2年7カ月の記録」("Taiho sarerumade - Kûhaku no 2-nen 7-kagetsu no kiroku," "Until I Was Arrested - Diary of a 2 Year and 7 Month Gap").
Japan Probe may have been first to cover the news in English, including a video of a recent TV segment on the remote location Ichihashi hid away for part of his escape from justice.
The Japan Times also published an excellent article by Jun Hongo today, which you can read here. Very interesting are details on the initial minutes and hours after Ichihashi's barefoot escape from the police.
The book's release is being well covered in the western media as well (Google News search results for "Tatsuya Ichihashi book" here).
As more details come to light, this case furthers its reputation as one of modern Japan's most baffling.
2009年11月10日火曜日
Tatsuya Ichihashi in Custody!
According to breaking news airing on various TV channels right now, Lindsay Ann Hawker murder suspect1 Tatsuya Ichihashi has apparently been arrested after being found (or turning himself in) in Osaka's Suminoe-ku. This follows his mother's plea to do so on TV this morning (see previous entry).
Updates provided as they come in.
As a flood of Japanese articles come in, The Mainichi Daily News is the first English-language outlet with a full story here. Apparently Ichihashi was taken into custody while trying to board a ferry for Okinawa earlier today. Passage to Okinawa would've made Ichihashi's alleged plans to escape Japan much easier.
The man in custody still needs to be positively identified, but it seems as if the hunt for Tatsuya Ichihashi has finally come to an end...
Update
The man has positively been identified as Ichihashi. You can follow the multitude of articles coming in on Google News here.
Most importantly, the family of Lindsay Hawker can finally begin to move on with their lives as justice takes its course.
Reward Update
The Mainichi Daily news is reporting that the 10-million yen (US$111,800) reward will be split between three people whose information led to the capture of Ichihashi: "the person who phoned police shortly before Ichihashi's arrest, saying that there was someone resembling the suspect at a ferry terminal in Osaka; the person at a construction company in Ibaraki, Osaka Prefecture, where Ichihashi had been hiding, who filed a report; and the clinic in Nagoya which reported that it had performed cosmetic surgery on a person resembling Ichihashi." They deserve it.
Ichihashi is now in the custody of Gyotoku Police under interrogation. What's sure to be a lengthy legal process has begun...
1 Although Ichihashi is the prime suspect in Lindsay Hawker's murder, the official crime he is listed as being suspected of is "illegal disposal of a dead body," which is often the first charge in a murder case.
Updates provided as they come in.
As a flood of Japanese articles come in, The Mainichi Daily News is the first English-language outlet with a full story here. Apparently Ichihashi was taken into custody while trying to board a ferry for Okinawa earlier today. Passage to Okinawa would've made Ichihashi's alleged plans to escape Japan much easier.
The man in custody still needs to be positively identified, but it seems as if the hunt for Tatsuya Ichihashi has finally come to an end...
Update
The man has positively been identified as Ichihashi. You can follow the multitude of articles coming in on Google News here.
Most importantly, the family of Lindsay Hawker can finally begin to move on with their lives as justice takes its course.
Reward Update
The Mainichi Daily news is reporting that the 10-million yen (US$111,800) reward will be split between three people whose information led to the capture of Ichihashi: "the person who phoned police shortly before Ichihashi's arrest, saying that there was someone resembling the suspect at a ferry terminal in Osaka; the person at a construction company in Ibaraki, Osaka Prefecture, where Ichihashi had been hiding, who filed a report; and the clinic in Nagoya which reported that it had performed cosmetic surgery on a person resembling Ichihashi." They deserve it.
Ichihashi is now in the custody of Gyotoku Police under interrogation. What's sure to be a lengthy legal process has begun...
1 Although Ichihashi is the prime suspect in Lindsay Hawker's murder, the official crime he is listed as being suspected of is "illegal disposal of a dead body," which is often the first charge in a murder case.
More Details About Ichihashi's Time in Osaka / More Words From Ichihashi's Mother
Following up on the major developments yesterday regarding Lindsay Ann Hawker murder suspect1 Tatsuya Ichihashi's 13-month employment stint in Osaka, new details have come to light about his time there.
Two English-language articles, in the The Mainichi Daily News and The Japan Times, provide basically all of the latest facts being reported in the Japanese language media.
On one of the televised reports, Ichihashi was said to have told his manager about a favourite haunt in Osaka's pleasure district -- one of the areas police are focusing searches on.
Regarding Ichihashi's plastic surgery sessions, the amount he spent at the Nagoya clinic for a second rhinoplasty procedure on October 24th totaled 470,000 yen (approximately US$5,200).
With all the concentration on the timeline since Ichihashi joined the Ibaraki City construction company in September of 2008, not much is yet known about Ichihashi's time on the run since the original date Lindsay's body was discovered on March 26, 2007.
One TV reports suggests that Ichihashi worked as a male prostitute in Tokyo's Shinjuku 2-chôme district, a theory which was first posited as early as June of 2007 (see July 31, 2007 entry). This article on Japan Probe summarizes the content of the TV segment.
More startlingly, Tatsuya Ichihashi's mother telephoned in a plea for her son to turn himself in on a popular current events show. The call was arranged by and aired on Fuji TV wide-show Jôhô Presenter - Toku da ne! (channel 8, weekdays mornings 8:00~9:55). Most of the content has been translated in this AFP syndicated article.
In an additional comment, his mother could not reconcile having fond memories of Tatsuya's diligent work habits while taking into consideration the feelings of Lindsay's parents, calling it "unforgivable."
If this audio turns up on Youtube or elsewhere online please leave a comment.
1 Although Ichihashi is the prime suspect in Lindsay Hawker's murder, the official crime he is listed as being suspected of is "illegal disposal of a dead body," which is often the first charge in a murder case.
Two English-language articles, in the The Mainichi Daily News and The Japan Times, provide basically all of the latest facts being reported in the Japanese language media.
On one of the televised reports, Ichihashi was said to have told his manager about a favourite haunt in Osaka's pleasure district -- one of the areas police are focusing searches on.
Regarding Ichihashi's plastic surgery sessions, the amount he spent at the Nagoya clinic for a second rhinoplasty procedure on October 24th totaled 470,000 yen (approximately US$5,200).
With all the concentration on the timeline since Ichihashi joined the Ibaraki City construction company in September of 2008, not much is yet known about Ichihashi's time on the run since the original date Lindsay's body was discovered on March 26, 2007.
One TV reports suggests that Ichihashi worked as a male prostitute in Tokyo's Shinjuku 2-chôme district, a theory which was first posited as early as June of 2007 (see July 31, 2007 entry). This article on Japan Probe summarizes the content of the TV segment.
More startlingly, Tatsuya Ichihashi's mother telephoned in a plea for her son to turn himself in on a popular current events show. The call was arranged by and aired on Fuji TV wide-show Jôhô Presenter - Toku da ne! (channel 8, weekdays mornings 8:00~9:55). Most of the content has been translated in this AFP syndicated article.
In an additional comment, his mother could not reconcile having fond memories of Tatsuya's diligent work habits while taking into consideration the feelings of Lindsay's parents, calling it "unforgivable."
If this audio turns up on Youtube or elsewhere online please leave a comment.
1 Although Ichihashi is the prime suspect in Lindsay Hawker's murder, the official crime he is listed as being suspected of is "illegal disposal of a dead body," which is often the first charge in a murder case.
2009年11月9日月曜日
Ichihashi Worked in Osaka For Over a Year / Mother Denies Aiding Fugitive Son
There is now irrefutable evidence that Ichihashi was working at a construction company in Ibaraki City, northern Osaka for just over a year according to a police investigation.
Ichihashi's fingerprints were lifted from his work dormitory sleeping quarters (the same type of room pictured at left) after his manager contacted police upon seeing the post-operative photo of Ichihashi released last Thursday. The final day Ichihashi reported for work was October 11 of this year.
Ichihashi was originally hired by the company in Nishinari-ku (Nishinari ward) in September of 2008 and then dispatched to Ibaraki to work. Ichihashi applied for the job under the false name Kôsuke Inoue, also apparently the name he used when registering at the clinics where he underwent various cosmetic procedures. At the company dormitory Ichihashi would wear a red hat pulled far down on his head in addition to eyeglasses, according to a former co-worker.
It's ironic and certainly disheartening that the second entry on this blog, dating back to April 10, 2007, related the theory that Ichihashi may have been hiding out in the flophouse district of Nishinari-ku. It's possible that Ichihashi remained in the district from March of 2007 until September of 2008, working as a day labourer until he got regular work. As mentioned in the footnotes of the 2007 entry:
Kamagasaki, one of Japan's largest districts of cheap lodging for day labourers and the homeless, is located in Osaka's Nishinari Ward... The area is also well-known as a place where people drop out of society for different reasons.
Among the media outlets covering the news, this evening's Super J-Channel (TV Asahi, channel 5 4:53~7:00pm) recounted the basic facts of the Lindsay Hawker case, followed by the latest developments and analysis of Ichihashi's movements over the past two months.
Upon leaving the construction company after having earned approximately one million yen in wages, Ichihashi traveled to Fukuoka City where he was spotted at an internet cafe and was turned away at a cosmetic surgery clinic there for not providing proper identification. Ichihashi then made his way to Nagoya on October 24 and successfully underwent a second rhinoplasty procedure (see November 5 entry).
On November 4th a man matching Ichihashi's description was sighted at a convenience store and internet cafe back in Fukuoka City, where police are now tracking down his whereabouts.
Notably, the TV report also related an emphatic statement from the mother of Ichihashi issued two days ago:
"I first heard about [Tatsuya's] surgery on the news... I am absolutely not sheltering him in any way. If I was contacted by my son I would bring him to the police. I've had no contact whatsoever with him since the first reports of the case."
As someone following this case from the beginning, I must admit, like many people I was suspicious of Ichihashi receiving some kind of financial assistance from his affluent parents. With his mother's latest comments (she only spoke for herself, not using "we") and the records of his income it appears that was not the case. Ichihashi seems to have "hidden in plain sight" and worked to pay for transportation, living expenses and successive alterations to his face. Alterations made to remove any trace of the characteristics highlighted on the original wanted poster.
As mentioned in the previous blog entry, the best way to stay on top of articles in English is through Google news. Here is a link with all articles mentioning Ichihashi in descending order of newness.
1 Although Ichihashi is the prime suspect in Lindsay Hawker's murder, the official crime he is listed as being suspected of is "illegal disposal of a dead body," which is often the first charge in a murder case.
Article Sources: Mainichi Shimbun, NTV 24 News, etc., November 9, 2009. Unfortunately there is no guarantee as to how long original Japanese language articles remain archived online for free.
2009年11月5日木曜日
Has Suspect Ichihashi Undergone Plastic Surgery?
Apologies for neglecting to update this blog for such a long period (a year and four months to be exact).
While riding the Yamanote line train yesterday I saw murder suspect1 Tatsuya Ichihashi's face flash up on the small TV screens installed in the train's interior. In the headline text accompanying the photo I noticed the word seikei (整形) -- plastic/cosmetic surgery.
The news media is now overflowing with articles reporting the possibility that Ichihashi has undergone face-changing procedures, both as recently as last month and at other times over the past two years.
The best way to stay on top of articles in English is through Google news. Here is a link with all articles mentioning Ichihashi in descending order of newness.
Please also see this article on Japan Probe, which features video of a TV news segment.
The investigation headquarters of the Gyotoku Police (Chiba prefecture) will apparently release pre-operative photos of Ichihashi acquired by a clinic in Nagoya, who only reported their suspicions that the patient might be Ichihashi three days after his rhinoplasty operation.
A joint statement issued by the parents and sisters of Lindsay Hawker sums up what many are asking:
If the patient was is fact Ichihashi then a follow-up interview with his affluent parents (his father is a doctor and mother a dentist) might be in order...
Update: It has now been confirmed in this article (Japanese only) on NTV's News 24 that the handwriting on the clinic forms filled out in both Fukuoka and Nagoya matches that of Ichihashi's.
Ichihashi was turned down for a procedure at a clinic in Fukuoka in mid-October on but underwent rhinoplasty surgery at a Nagoya clinic on October 24. Forms at both clinics contained the same false name and Osaka address in Ichihashi's handwriting.
Update 2: Below is the photo (on the right) of Ichihashi as seen before his latest surgical procedure on the 24th of October. As detailed in the press, the two moles on his left cheek were removed and the size of his lower lip reduced. He also seems to have had his brow altered. The bridge of his nose appears to have been accentuated, which is the same procedure he apparently had after this photo was taken. Gyotoku Police also used graphics software to digitally remove Ichihashi's facial hair (specified as hige, which can mean either moustache or beard, or both -- but it's likely he only wore a beard).
The total cost of his various operations is believed to be approximately 1.3 million yen (US$14,350).
1 Although Ichihashi is the prime suspect in Lindsay Hawker's murder, the official crime he is listed as being suspected of is "illegal disposal of a dead body," which is often the first charge in a murder case.
While riding the Yamanote line train yesterday I saw murder suspect1 Tatsuya Ichihashi's face flash up on the small TV screens installed in the train's interior. In the headline text accompanying the photo I noticed the word seikei (整形) -- plastic/cosmetic surgery.
The news media is now overflowing with articles reporting the possibility that Ichihashi has undergone face-changing procedures, both as recently as last month and at other times over the past two years.
The best way to stay on top of articles in English is through Google news. Here is a link with all articles mentioning Ichihashi in descending order of newness.
Please also see this article on Japan Probe, which features video of a TV news segment.
The investigation headquarters of the Gyotoku Police (Chiba prefecture) will apparently release pre-operative photos of Ichihashi acquired by a clinic in Nagoya, who only reported their suspicions that the patient might be Ichihashi three days after his rhinoplasty operation.
A joint statement issued by the parents and sisters of Lindsay Hawker sums up what many are asking:
“We have received no official confirmation of any of the reports despite attempts to do so. We would like to know who the surgeons were? Where Ichihashi, the only suspect, obtained the money for the operations, and who is hiding him? Which hospitals or clinics carried out the work and why would they operate on a man who is allegedly the most wanted man in Japan?"
If the patient was is fact Ichihashi then a follow-up interview with his affluent parents (his father is a doctor and mother a dentist) might be in order...
Update: It has now been confirmed in this article (Japanese only) on NTV's News 24 that the handwriting on the clinic forms filled out in both Fukuoka and Nagoya matches that of Ichihashi's.
Ichihashi was turned down for a procedure at a clinic in Fukuoka in mid-October on but underwent rhinoplasty surgery at a Nagoya clinic on October 24. Forms at both clinics contained the same false name and Osaka address in Ichihashi's handwriting.
Update 2: Below is the photo (on the right) of Ichihashi as seen before his latest surgical procedure on the 24th of October. As detailed in the press, the two moles on his left cheek were removed and the size of his lower lip reduced. He also seems to have had his brow altered. The bridge of his nose appears to have been accentuated, which is the same procedure he apparently had after this photo was taken. Gyotoku Police also used graphics software to digitally remove Ichihashi's facial hair (specified as hige, which can mean either moustache or beard, or both -- but it's likely he only wore a beard).
The total cost of his various operations is believed to be approximately 1.3 million yen (US$14,350).
1 Although Ichihashi is the prime suspect in Lindsay Hawker's murder, the official crime he is listed as being suspected of is "illegal disposal of a dead body," which is often the first charge in a murder case.
2008年6月29日日曜日
New Ichihashi Photos & Wanted Poster
Apologies for not posting this news when it broke on Friday June 27th.
The investigation headquarters of Gyotoku Police (Chiba Prefecture) have released two additional photos of Lindsay Hawker murder suspect1 Tatsuya Ichihashi, which also appear on a new version of the wanted poster.
The photo on the left appears to be either a newly created composite showing Ichihashi with dyed blonde hair, or an already existing photo with heavy retouching (see left side of face). The photo on the right appears to be an older image, perhaps a purikura photo (see borders in upper and lower right corners) without retouching.
Police have announced that the offer of up to a one millon yen reward (approx. US$9,400) for information leading to Ichihashi's arrest established one year ago (see the June 29th 2007 entry) has been extended for another year. A new, more eye-catching wanted poster has been created featuring the two photos above.
(a high resolution PDF version of the poster can be downloaded on the police site).
As of the end of May, police have received 4,572 tips nationwide. This means there have been approximately 1,464 new tips since the previous wanted poster (please see the March 17th entry), featuring conceptual images of Ichihashi in radically different disguises. As with previous wanted posters, an A4-sized flyer has also been produced and is being distributed.
1 Although Ichihashi is the prime suspect in Lindsay Hawker's murder, the official crime he is listed as being suspected of is "illegal disposal of a dead body," which is often the first charge in a murder case.
Article Source: Yahoo! News Japan, June 27th 2008, 3:39pm (Tokyo). Originally appeared on Mainichi Shimbun (MSN portal) on the same date. Unfortunately there is no guarantee as to how long original Japanese language articles remain archived online for free.
The investigation headquarters of Gyotoku Police (Chiba Prefecture) have released two additional photos of Lindsay Hawker murder suspect1 Tatsuya Ichihashi, which also appear on a new version of the wanted poster.
The photo on the left appears to be either a newly created composite showing Ichihashi with dyed blonde hair, or an already existing photo with heavy retouching (see left side of face). The photo on the right appears to be an older image, perhaps a purikura photo (see borders in upper and lower right corners) without retouching.
Police have announced that the offer of up to a one millon yen reward (approx. US$9,400) for information leading to Ichihashi's arrest established one year ago (see the June 29th 2007 entry) has been extended for another year. A new, more eye-catching wanted poster has been created featuring the two photos above.
(a high resolution PDF version of the poster can be downloaded on the police site).
As of the end of May, police have received 4,572 tips nationwide. This means there have been approximately 1,464 new tips since the previous wanted poster (please see the March 17th entry), featuring conceptual images of Ichihashi in radically different disguises. As with previous wanted posters, an A4-sized flyer has also been produced and is being distributed.
1 Although Ichihashi is the prime suspect in Lindsay Hawker's murder, the official crime he is listed as being suspected of is "illegal disposal of a dead body," which is often the first charge in a murder case.
Article Source: Yahoo! News Japan, June 27th 2008, 3:39pm (Tokyo). Originally appeared on Mainichi Shimbun (MSN portal) on the same date. Unfortunately there is no guarantee as to how long original Japanese language articles remain archived online for free.
2008年3月29日土曜日
40 Eyewitness reports of Ichihashi in Ikebukuro
The investigation headquarters of Gyotoku Police (Chiba Prefecture) have announced that they have collected approximately 40 eyewitness accounts of Lindsay Ann Hawker murder suspect1 Tatsuya Ichihashi in Tokyo's Ikebukuro2 district (please also see the March 18th entry for the first mention of the Ikebukuro theory). Exactly one year has passed since the discovery of Lindsay Hawker's body at Ichihashi's condominium on March 26 of last year.
Police announced additional investigators have been dispatched to Ikebukuro and that all efforts would be made to resolve the case.
From the time police first released wanted posters of Ichihashi (see the April 10th 2007 entry) until recently, a man said to resemble the suspect, including his eye characteristics, has been seen on frequent occasions at pachinko parlours, hotels and restaurants in the vicinity of JR Ikebukuro station.3
Additionally, it has been established that Ichihashi had visited Ikebukuro with an acquaintance before the time of Hawker's murder. Police believe that Ichihashi is familiar with the area and has possibly returned, leading to concentrated efforts to investigate restaurants, hotels and fûzoku businesses in the area.
1 Although Ichihashi is the prime suspect in Lindsay Hawker's murder, the official crime he is listed as being suspected of is "illegal disposal of a dead body," which is often the first charge in a murder case.
2 Ikebukuro happens to be very close to where this blog originates from.
3 Although exact details of the eyewitness reports were not mentioned, it is likely that the pachinko parlours and hotels being referred to are those concentrated in the area north/north-west of Ikebukuro station.
Article Source: Yahoo! News Japan, March 26th 2008, 3:59pm (Tokyo). Originally appeared in Mainichi Shimbun on the same date. The last two paragraphs of the article briefly summarize information covered in the March 17th entry. Unfortunately there is no guarantee as to how long original Japanese language articles remain archived online for free.
Police announced additional investigators have been dispatched to Ikebukuro and that all efforts would be made to resolve the case.
From the time police first released wanted posters of Ichihashi (see the April 10th 2007 entry) until recently, a man said to resemble the suspect, including his eye characteristics, has been seen on frequent occasions at pachinko parlours, hotels and restaurants in the vicinity of JR Ikebukuro station.3
Additionally, it has been established that Ichihashi had visited Ikebukuro with an acquaintance before the time of Hawker's murder. Police believe that Ichihashi is familiar with the area and has possibly returned, leading to concentrated efforts to investigate restaurants, hotels and fûzoku businesses in the area.
1 Although Ichihashi is the prime suspect in Lindsay Hawker's murder, the official crime he is listed as being suspected of is "illegal disposal of a dead body," which is often the first charge in a murder case.
2 Ikebukuro happens to be very close to where this blog originates from.
3 Although exact details of the eyewitness reports were not mentioned, it is likely that the pachinko parlours and hotels being referred to are those concentrated in the area north/north-west of Ikebukuro station.
Article Source: Yahoo! News Japan, March 26th 2008, 3:59pm (Tokyo). Originally appeared in Mainichi Shimbun on the same date. The last two paragraphs of the article briefly summarize information covered in the March 17th entry. Unfortunately there is no guarantee as to how long original Japanese language articles remain archived online for free.
2008年3月25日火曜日
Lindsay Hawker's family come to Japan in the continued quest for justice
Lindsay Hawker's entire family have come to Japan for the one-year anniversary (if that's the appropriate word) of Lindsay's murder. The Hawker family hope to urge continued and increased efforts to bring Lindsay's killer to justice.
This excellent article in The Times Online covers the press conference that was held in downtown Tokyo yesterday. The Japanese media is of course covering the news as well (if there is anything of note not found in the English press, it will be translated for this blog).
I was impressed to read that the family have been studying Japanese and that one of Lindsay's sisters, Lisa, spoke in Japanese at the conference. It's a shame that such tragic circumstances forced them to learn such a great language.
This excellent article in The Times Online covers the press conference that was held in downtown Tokyo yesterday. The Japanese media is of course covering the news as well (if there is anything of note not found in the English press, it will be translated for this blog).
I was impressed to read that the family have been studying Japanese and that one of Lindsay's sisters, Lisa, spoke in Japanese at the conference. It's a shame that such tragic circumstances forced them to learn such a great language.
2008年3月18日火曜日
Possible sighting(s) of Ichihashi in Ikebukuro / New images on police site
On the heels of the latest wanted poster released by Gyotoku Police comes news of possible sightings of Lindsay Ann Hawker murder suspect1 Tatsuya Ichihashi in Tokyo's Ikebukuro2 district.
An (unnamed) female resident of Ikebukuro recounted the police's visit to her apartment last week in today's issue of pseudo-tabloid newspaper Nikkan Gendai.
"Two plain-clothed detectives visited my apartment last Wednesday at around 9pm. They were handing out flyers and warned me that 'There's a possibility Ichihashi is hanging around this area. He has a tendency to approach women, so please be careful.' The visit surprised me so I called my friend and she said the cops had been going door to door at restaurants and bars in Ikebukuro doing the same thing. When I stepped outside, a bunch of patrol cars drove by."
The Ikebukuro theory is the latest of possible Tokyo hideouts that include the Tokyo Bay area3 and the gay quarters of Shinjuku's 2-chome district (please see the July 31st 2007 entry).
Today Gyotoku Police updated their page on Ichihashi for the second time in two weeks, featuring the sketch Ichihashi made of Hawker on March 21 2007, 5 days prior to the discovery of Hawker's body. There are also photos of the articles of clothing Ichihashi dropped during his shoeless escape.
How nobody noticed which direction a 180cm tall, barefoot man on the run went in the minutes and hours directly after the escape remains a mystery.
1 Although Ichihashi is the prime suspect in Lindsay Hawker's murder, the official crime he is listed as being suspected of is "illegal disposal of a dead body," which is often the first charge in a murder case.
2 Ikebukuro happens to be very close to where this blog originates from.
3 I had not previously read or heard of the Tokyo Bay area theory until its mention in today's Nikkan Gendai article.
Article Source: Original article and commentary based on information and quotes from Yahoo! Japan News, March 18th 2008, 10:00am (Tokyo), originally published in Nikkan Gendai (article not available online). Unfortunately there is no guarantee as to how long original Japanese language articles remain archived online for free.
An (unnamed) female resident of Ikebukuro recounted the police's visit to her apartment last week in today's issue of pseudo-tabloid newspaper Nikkan Gendai.
"Two plain-clothed detectives visited my apartment last Wednesday at around 9pm. They were handing out flyers and warned me that 'There's a possibility Ichihashi is hanging around this area. He has a tendency to approach women, so please be careful.' The visit surprised me so I called my friend and she said the cops had been going door to door at restaurants and bars in Ikebukuro doing the same thing. When I stepped outside, a bunch of patrol cars drove by."
The Ikebukuro theory is the latest of possible Tokyo hideouts that include the Tokyo Bay area3 and the gay quarters of Shinjuku's 2-chome district (please see the July 31st 2007 entry).
Today Gyotoku Police updated their page on Ichihashi for the second time in two weeks, featuring the sketch Ichihashi made of Hawker on March 21 2007, 5 days prior to the discovery of Hawker's body. There are also photos of the articles of clothing Ichihashi dropped during his shoeless escape. How nobody noticed which direction a 180cm tall, barefoot man on the run went in the minutes and hours directly after the escape remains a mystery.
1 Although Ichihashi is the prime suspect in Lindsay Hawker's murder, the official crime he is listed as being suspected of is "illegal disposal of a dead body," which is often the first charge in a murder case.
2 Ikebukuro happens to be very close to where this blog originates from.
3 I had not previously read or heard of the Tokyo Bay area theory until its mention in today's Nikkan Gendai article.
Article Source: Original article and commentary based on information and quotes from Yahoo! Japan News, March 18th 2008, 10:00am (Tokyo), originally published in Nikkan Gendai (article not available online). Unfortunately there is no guarantee as to how long original Japanese language articles remain archived online for free.
2008年3月17日月曜日
New wanted poster with Ichihashi in disguise as first year comes to a close
It has been almost one year since the body of Lindsay Ann Hawker was discovered at the residence of yet-to-be-apprehended murder suspect1 Tatsuya Ichihashi on March 26 of last year, resulting in renewed interest and articles in the media.
Late last week on the 13th, the Gyotoku Police Department in Chiba Prefecture released a new wanted poster featuring images of Ichihashi in disguise (hensou) on the left and a female disguise (josou) on the right. The central image and text remain the same as seen on previous flyers and posters. If you click on the image of the poster found on the police site, you can download a large format PDF version.
3000 A4-size flyers and 4000 A3-size posters were printed and have been distributed at police stations/koban, train stations and lodging facilities in urban and suburban areas.
For those who haven't followed the case since the early days, information that came to light last summer (please see the July 31st 2007 entry) led police to believe that Ichihashi may be hiding out in Shinjuku's gay quarters, hence the type of disguises police believe he may be using. Why these two particular looks were rendered has not been mentioned but it is assumed that they are based on eyewitness reports of people matching Ichihashi's description.
The two renderings are the work of artist Motoaki Sudo. With the aid of computer "age progression" software first used to create portraits in the case of North Korean abductee Megumi Yokota, Suda created the two images.
The police also released current statistics on the case. From the time of the murder up until the 6th of March, approximately 42,000 police and detectives have worked in some capacity on the case. There are currently 141 active investigators. There has also been a total of 3108 eyewitness reports nationwide, none of which have led to Ichihashi's whereabouts.
While the police have been rightly criticized for letting Ichihashi slip away in the first place, the subsequent efforts to locate him have been constant and widespread. While it is hard to comprehend that someone could seemingly vanish as Ichihashi has, sadly there are many other cases that date back much further than this one where suspects have yet to be tracked down.
1 Although Ichihashi is the prime suspect in Lindsay Hawker's murder, the official crime he is listed as being suspected of is "illegal disposal of a dead body," which is often the first charge in a murder case.
Article Source: Original article and commentary based on information from Sankei Newspaper, March 13th 2008, 6:27pm (Tokyo) and Mainichi Newspaper, March 14th 2008. Unfortunately there is no guarantee as to how long original Japanese language articles remain archived online for free.
Late last week on the 13th, the Gyotoku Police Department in Chiba Prefecture released a new wanted poster featuring images of Ichihashi in disguise (hensou) on the left and a female disguise (josou) on the right. The central image and text remain the same as seen on previous flyers and posters. If you click on the image of the poster found on the police site, you can download a large format PDF version.3000 A4-size flyers and 4000 A3-size posters were printed and have been distributed at police stations/koban, train stations and lodging facilities in urban and suburban areas.
For those who haven't followed the case since the early days, information that came to light last summer (please see the July 31st 2007 entry) led police to believe that Ichihashi may be hiding out in Shinjuku's gay quarters, hence the type of disguises police believe he may be using. Why these two particular looks were rendered has not been mentioned but it is assumed that they are based on eyewitness reports of people matching Ichihashi's description.The two renderings are the work of artist Motoaki Sudo. With the aid of computer "age progression" software first used to create portraits in the case of North Korean abductee Megumi Yokota, Suda created the two images.The police also released current statistics on the case. From the time of the murder up until the 6th of March, approximately 42,000 police and detectives have worked in some capacity on the case. There are currently 141 active investigators. There has also been a total of 3108 eyewitness reports nationwide, none of which have led to Ichihashi's whereabouts.
While the police have been rightly criticized for letting Ichihashi slip away in the first place, the subsequent efforts to locate him have been constant and widespread. While it is hard to comprehend that someone could seemingly vanish as Ichihashi has, sadly there are many other cases that date back much further than this one where suspects have yet to be tracked down.
1 Although Ichihashi is the prime suspect in Lindsay Hawker's murder, the official crime he is listed as being suspected of is "illegal disposal of a dead body," which is often the first charge in a murder case.
Article Source: Original article and commentary based on information from Sankei Newspaper, March 13th 2008, 6:27pm (Tokyo) and Mainichi Newspaper, March 14th 2008. Unfortunately there is no guarantee as to how long original Japanese language articles remain archived online for free.
2007年12月27日木曜日
"I've Even Arrested Him In My Dreams"
The following article ran as part of Sankei Newspaper's year-end wrap up column dubbed "End of the Year Journal," where reporters reflect on some of the year's high profile stories.
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"A guy working at the restaurant looks like Ichihashi."
Two detectives pull up in their car, returning from checking out the restaurant lead. "He really did look like Ichihashi, but it wasn't him," the senior detective sighs.
September 2007. Six months after the body of 22-year-old British English teacher Lindsay Ann Hawker was found at a condominium in Ichikawa City in March, reporters joined two detectives as they tracked 28-year-old Tatsuya Ichihashi's whereabouts.
The detectives revisit a Tokyo district with plenty of cheap lodging where Ichihashi may be holed up.
"You're back again? Haven't you caught him yet?" says the woman who runs one of the rooming houses. Return visits to a previously investigated scene is an ironclad rule of police work.
"Not yet. You haven't heard anything?"
"Nothing. He's gotta be dead by now."
Everywhere they visit the detectives hand out new wanted flyers1, bowing as they ask for cooperation.
"If I was off duty or on my way to work, if Ichihashi suddenly appeared I wonder about how I would make sure to arrest him. I have dreams where I catch him, and dreams where he gets away...I'm sure other detectives on the case have similar thoughts."
"I will never forgive the man who killed my daughter," said Hawker's tearful father as he held up a photograph of Lindsay. He saw off his daughter to what they believed was a safe country, but she ended up dead.
"The pain her family is going through must be unbearable. [Ichihashi] has to be caught," says the detective.
The search continues to crawl across the country, but it doesn't seem as if the words "Suspect Arrested" will reach the shores of England before year's end.
Mizuho Nishioka.
1 The revised flyer with the reward money for any leads leading to the arrest of Ichihashi. See the June 29 entry for details.
Article Source: Yahoo! News Japan, December 21st 2007, 8:21am (Tokyo). Originally appeared in Sankei Newspaper (article not online).
-----
"A guy working at the restaurant looks like Ichihashi."
Two detectives pull up in their car, returning from checking out the restaurant lead. "He really did look like Ichihashi, but it wasn't him," the senior detective sighs.
September 2007. Six months after the body of 22-year-old British English teacher Lindsay Ann Hawker was found at a condominium in Ichikawa City in March, reporters joined two detectives as they tracked 28-year-old Tatsuya Ichihashi's whereabouts.
The detectives revisit a Tokyo district with plenty of cheap lodging where Ichihashi may be holed up.
"You're back again? Haven't you caught him yet?" says the woman who runs one of the rooming houses. Return visits to a previously investigated scene is an ironclad rule of police work.
"Not yet. You haven't heard anything?"
"Nothing. He's gotta be dead by now."
Everywhere they visit the detectives hand out new wanted flyers1, bowing as they ask for cooperation.
"If I was off duty or on my way to work, if Ichihashi suddenly appeared I wonder about how I would make sure to arrest him. I have dreams where I catch him, and dreams where he gets away...I'm sure other detectives on the case have similar thoughts."
"I will never forgive the man who killed my daughter," said Hawker's tearful father as he held up a photograph of Lindsay. He saw off his daughter to what they believed was a safe country, but she ended up dead.
"The pain her family is going through must be unbearable. [Ichihashi] has to be caught," says the detective.
The search continues to crawl across the country, but it doesn't seem as if the words "Suspect Arrested" will reach the shores of England before year's end.
Mizuho Nishioka.
1 The revised flyer with the reward money for any leads leading to the arrest of Ichihashi. See the June 29 entry for details.
Article Source: Yahoo! News Japan, December 21st 2007, 8:21am (Tokyo). Originally appeared in Sankei Newspaper (article not online).
2007年12月11日火曜日
Closeup Photo of Ichihashi Distinguishing Marks / 2channel Latest
In an unfortunate repeat of the words stated at the top of the previous entry (July 31), there have been absolutely no developments since the reward campaign announced at the end of June (see June 29th entry). That doesn't mean that the case has been forgotten or that this blog has ceased operations.
I'm not sure when it was updated, but I noticed that the Chiba Police site now provides a closeup photograph with arrows indicating the two moles on Lindsay Hawker murder suspect1 Ichihashi's left cheek. I had mentioned in footnote 7 of my June 29 entry that the moles weren't visible on the wanted poster (or in other photos for that matter), but the image at right clearly shows what to look for. However, judging by how small they are they could easily be concealed by makeup.
Although there hasn't been any legitimate news since the summer, discussion on message boards such as 2channel (see Wikipedia's explanation of the service here) continues at a regular pace. While many of the comments are ridiculous, and sometimes offensive, it shows that the case is still in the public consciousness.
A selection of recent comments from a thread entitled 「市橋達也（英リンゼイさん殺害犯）を探し出す」("The Hunt for Tatsuya Ichihashi [Lindsay Hawker's Killer]"):
Oct. 7: There have been cases in the past where suspects hid out in Osaka2 until the statute of limitations ran out.
Oct 23: I think the reason they can't find him is because someone's harbouring him.
Nov. 9: Stick to his parents' house, his friends and the original crime scene. I would tap their phones, monitor all his parents' bank accounts, seize his computer and investigate any associates he made on the internet. He escaped in sweat pants and bare feet -- he might have forced his way into a nearby apartment and killed the owner (which would be possible if it were a senior citizen or a single woman). That would be his only shot.
Nov. 26: Saikyô Line departing from Shinjuku (Ômiya-bound), 6:01pm train, front car.
Dec. 10: Ichihashi is a totally ugly, disgusting homo killer.
Dec. 11: If he's working or renting a room he must have shown some kind of ID. How's he doing it?
1 Although Ichihashi is the prime suspect in Lindsay Hawker's murder, the official crime he is listed as being suspected of is "illegal disposal of a dead body," which is often the first charge in a murder case.
2One previous theory was that Ichihashi disappeared into Osaka's Kamagasaki flophouse district. Please refer to April 10th entry.
I'm not sure when it was updated, but I noticed that the Chiba Police site now provides a closeup photograph with arrows indicating the two moles on Lindsay Hawker murder suspect1 Ichihashi's left cheek. I had mentioned in footnote 7 of my June 29 entry that the moles weren't visible on the wanted poster (or in other photos for that matter), but the image at right clearly shows what to look for. However, judging by how small they are they could easily be concealed by makeup.Although there hasn't been any legitimate news since the summer, discussion on message boards such as 2channel (see Wikipedia's explanation of the service here) continues at a regular pace. While many of the comments are ridiculous, and sometimes offensive, it shows that the case is still in the public consciousness.
A selection of recent comments from a thread entitled 「市橋達也（英リンゼイさん殺害犯）を探し出す」("The Hunt for Tatsuya Ichihashi [Lindsay Hawker's Killer]"):
Oct. 7: There have been cases in the past where suspects hid out in Osaka2 until the statute of limitations ran out.
Oct 23: I think the reason they can't find him is because someone's harbouring him.
Nov. 9: Stick to his parents' house, his friends and the original crime scene. I would tap their phones, monitor all his parents' bank accounts, seize his computer and investigate any associates he made on the internet. He escaped in sweat pants and bare feet -- he might have forced his way into a nearby apartment and killed the owner (which would be possible if it were a senior citizen or a single woman). That would be his only shot.
Nov. 26: Saikyô Line departing from Shinjuku (Ômiya-bound), 6:01pm train, front car.
Dec. 10: Ichihashi is a totally ugly, disgusting homo killer.
Dec. 11: If he's working or renting a room he must have shown some kind of ID. How's he doing it?
1 Although Ichihashi is the prime suspect in Lindsay Hawker's murder, the official crime he is listed as being suspected of is "illegal disposal of a dead body," which is often the first charge in a murder case.
2One previous theory was that Ichihashi disappeared into Osaka's Kamagasaki flophouse district. Please refer to April 10th entry.
2007年7月31日火曜日
Ichihashi in Shinjuku's Gay Quarters?
There haven't been any developments whatsoever since the push for further action at the end of June (see June 29th).
I recently came across a citing for an article that appeared in a June edition of Shûkan Gendai, one of Japan's many shûkanshi (weekly magazines), which posits the theory that Ichihashi is hiding out in the gay quarters of Shinjuku's Ni-chôme district.
It appears that Japan Today has recently translated the piece as part of its "Shûkan Watch" column. You can read the article and accompanying comments here.
While these magazines often contain a combination of outrageous gossip and legitimate news, a story like this without one source cited is hard to take seriously. Nonetheless, it's another theory as to how a man could so completely disappear.
Also interesting is the mention of as yet unseen elevator footage (see May 16th) of Ichihashi and Hawker as they went up to his apartment.
I recently came across a citing for an article that appeared in a June edition of Shûkan Gendai, one of Japan's many shûkanshi (weekly magazines), which posits the theory that Ichihashi is hiding out in the gay quarters of Shinjuku's Ni-chôme district.
It appears that Japan Today has recently translated the piece as part of its "Shûkan Watch" column. You can read the article and accompanying comments here.
While these magazines often contain a combination of outrageous gossip and legitimate news, a story like this without one source cited is hard to take seriously. Nonetheless, it's another theory as to how a man could so completely disappear.
Also interesting is the mention of as yet unseen elevator footage (see May 16th) of Ichihashi and Hawker as they went up to his apartment.
2007年6月29日金曜日
1 Million Yen Reward Offered For Information in the Lindsay Hawker Case
"We want to raise public concern"
Three months have passed since the body of Lindsay Ann Hawker was found at a condominium in the Fukuei neighbourhood of Ichikawa City. However, murder suspect1 Tatsuya Ichihashi's whereabouts remain unknown.
Today (June 29), National Police Agency announced a 1 million yen2 cash reward for information leading to the arrest of Ichihashi.3
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The reward money will be offered for a one year period from June 29 2007 until June 28 2008. Additionally, 20,000 copies of a new wanted poster and 10,000 copies of a flyer have been produced4. 5000 of the flyers will be distributed for display at nationwide branches of Hawker's previous place of employment as an English language instructor. 5
As the investigation has prolonged, new leads have rapidly decreased. As of June 27, 1049 tips have been received: 457 in April, 356 in May and only 101 in June.6 While a suspect has already been identified, a cash reward lends the case more public impact. "We want to raise public concern and receive more reliable and accurate information" said a high-ranking police spokesperson.
Ichihashi is 180cm tall with a slim build and has a habit of walking with a slightly slouched back. He also has two vertically aligned moles on his left cheek.7
Lindsay's flatmate suspected something was wrong when Lindsay did not return home and contacted police. Police paid a visit to Ichihashi, who had sheduled an English lesson at his house with Hawker shortly before her disappearance. While being questioned, Ichihashi fled along a road 200m from his apartment. Police lost his trail in the pursuit and his whereabouts have remained unknown since.
Police have kept 145 officers involved in the case (see April 26th entry). Tips from witnesses claiming to have seen someone who resembles Ichihashi have been gathered by investigators dispatched around the country, yet he remains at large. Train station and convenience store security cameras are being monitored, but no images of Ichihashi have appeared as of yet.
"In most cases, there is uncovered evidence or captured security camera images. For an investigation to continue this long with nothing turning up is rare," said the spokesman.
Gyotoku Police Hotline: 047-397-0110
Update: As mentioned in this Japan Times article (free subscription required), it was the National Police Agency that has put up the reward. The international aspects of the case are also covered.
Update 2: This article on Yahoo! UK includes quotes from and an image of Lindsay Hawker's parents at the press conference held today in Tokyo.
1 Although Ichihashi is the prime suspect in Lindsay Hawker's murder, the official crime he is listed as being suspected of (in all media) is "illegal disposal of a dead body," which is often the first charge in a murder case. The standard reference to Ichihashi in every article is the unwieldy "Unemployed Ichikawa City resident suspected of abandonment of a dead body, Tatsuya Ichihashi." The replacement of this with "murder suspect" or simply "suspect" in my translations both aids the flow of the writing as well as providing the Western equivalent of the crime he'd be wanted for questioning in, though it is not technically a correct translation.
2 Approximately US$8,500 according to June 29 rates (see the Universal Currency Converter for the most up to date exchange rates).
3 It's difficult to explain in the flow of the article itself, but esentially the case has been "designated" as one in which reward money (garnered from public funds) can be offered.
4 See info and images on the official Chiba Police site. There are downloadable PDF files of the current wanted poster (which offers the reward and features new photos of Ichihashi) and the previous version (see April 10th article). Click on poster image to download a high resolution version.
5 Lindsay Hawker worked as an English language instructor for Nova at the company's Koiwa branch (also see school's dedicated page here -- Japanese only).
6 The discrepancy between the 1049 total tips and the 914 received from April 1 until June 27 may be accounted for by tips received in the last six days of March.
7 The article uses the term nekoza, which literally translates as "cat's back". It's often used to describe a slouched gait and is sometimes purposely affected by criminals, particularly yakuza members. The moles are not visible in either of the wanted posters. This could be because they are of similar colour as the rest of Ichihashi's face.
Article Source: Yahoo! News Japan, June 29th 2007, 1:01pm (Tokyo). Originally appeared in the Mainichi Shimbun, June 29 (article not online).
Three months have passed since the body of Lindsay Ann Hawker was found at a condominium in the Fukuei neighbourhood of Ichikawa City. However, murder suspect1 Tatsuya Ichihashi's whereabouts remain unknown.
Today (June 29), National Police Agency announced a 1 million yen2 cash reward for information leading to the arrest of Ichihashi.3
As the investigation has prolonged, new leads have rapidly decreased. As of June 27, 1049 tips have been received: 457 in April, 356 in May and only 101 in June.6 While a suspect has already been identified, a cash reward lends the case more public impact. "We want to raise public concern and receive more reliable and accurate information" said a high-ranking police spokesperson.
Ichihashi is 180cm tall with a slim build and has a habit of walking with a slightly slouched back. He also has two vertically aligned moles on his left cheek.7
Lindsay's flatmate suspected something was wrong when Lindsay did not return home and contacted police. Police paid a visit to Ichihashi, who had sheduled an English lesson at his house with Hawker shortly before her disappearance. While being questioned, Ichihashi fled along a road 200m from his apartment. Police lost his trail in the pursuit and his whereabouts have remained unknown since.
Police have kept 145 officers involved in the case (see April 26th entry). Tips from witnesses claiming to have seen someone who resembles Ichihashi have been gathered by investigators dispatched around the country, yet he remains at large. Train station and convenience store security cameras are being monitored, but no images of Ichihashi have appeared as of yet.
"In most cases, there is uncovered evidence or captured security camera images. For an investigation to continue this long with nothing turning up is rare," said the spokesman.
Gyotoku Police Hotline: 047-397-0110
Update: As mentioned in this Japan Times article (free subscription required), it was the National Police Agency that has put up the reward. The international aspects of the case are also covered.
Update 2: This article on Yahoo! UK includes quotes from and an image of Lindsay Hawker's parents at the press conference held today in Tokyo.
1 Although Ichihashi is the prime suspect in Lindsay Hawker's murder, the official crime he is listed as being suspected of (in all media) is "illegal disposal of a dead body," which is often the first charge in a murder case. The standard reference to Ichihashi in every article is the unwieldy "Unemployed Ichikawa City resident suspected of abandonment of a dead body, Tatsuya Ichihashi." The replacement of this with "murder suspect" or simply "suspect" in my translations both aids the flow of the writing as well as providing the Western equivalent of the crime he'd be wanted for questioning in, though it is not technically a correct translation.
2 Approximately US$8,500 according to June 29 rates (see the Universal Currency Converter for the most up to date exchange rates).
3 It's difficult to explain in the flow of the article itself, but esentially the case has been "designated" as one in which reward money (garnered from public funds) can be offered.
4 See info and images on the official Chiba Police site. There are downloadable PDF files of the current wanted poster (which offers the reward and features new photos of Ichihashi) and the previous version (see April 10th article). Click on poster image to download a high resolution version.
5 Lindsay Hawker worked as an English language instructor for Nova at the company's Koiwa branch (also see school's dedicated page here -- Japanese only).
6 The discrepancy between the 1049 total tips and the 914 received from April 1 until June 27 may be accounted for by tips received in the last six days of March.
7 The article uses the term nekoza, which literally translates as "cat's back". It's often used to describe a slouched gait and is sometimes purposely affected by criminals, particularly yakuza members. The moles are not visible in either of the wanted posters. This could be because they are of similar colour as the rest of Ichihashi's face.
Article Source: Yahoo! News Japan, June 29th 2007, 1:01pm (Tokyo). Originally appeared in the Mainichi Shimbun, June 29 (article not online).
Lindsay Hawker T-Shirt Campaign
Caroline Pover has created shirts in various sizes and styles which feature the image of suspect Tatsuya Ichihashi and the words 「捕まるまで 眠れない」(roughly "I won't be able to sleep until he's caught"). Pover's site explains it further:
The Japanese words on the T-shirt roughly translate to ‘Until this man is caught, I won’t sleep at night’, which can be interpreted in many ways: perhaps you are that bit more nervous at night knowing this man has not been caught; perhaps you are a father and worried about your daughter; perhaps you are a husband and worried about your wife; perhaps you want to make a statement against all violent crime against women. For men and women, Japanese and foreign, this T-shirt can have many meanings.
To order, please visit her page on the Café Press online shop here.
2007年6月19日火曜日
Hawker Family and British Police Coming to Japan
I haven't posted anything for almost a month, simply because there haven't been any developments in the search for suspect Tatsuya Ichihashi. However, I've just read this article on the website of UK newspaper The Sun which states that the Hawker family (parents Bill and Julia, as well one of Lindsay's sisters) are coming to Japan accompanied by two British police detectives in order to liase with local authorities and make another plea for assistance from the public.
It's sad to say, but the Hawker case has really dropped off the radar here. Additionally, Yahoo! News (Japan) seems to have changed their policy on storage of past articles, greatly shortening the time frame of their archives (perhaps to 30 days or less). None of Yahoo! links in the previous entries work anymore.
It's sad to say, but the Hawker case has really dropped off the radar here. Additionally, Yahoo! News (Japan) seems to have changed their policy on storage of past articles, greatly shortening the time frame of their archives (perhaps to 30 days or less). None of Yahoo! links in the previous entries work anymore.
2007年5月24日木曜日
Letter To Ichihashi's Parents From Grieving Father: "Tell Your Son To Turn Himself In"
I was prepared to translate an article (see source below) for the above headline when I realized that Reuters News agency had already picked up the story, which can be read here
Further details regarding the case of beaten-to-death Rikkyo University student Satoru Kobayashi can be read in this Japan Times article (free subscription required).
Article Source: Yahoo! News Japan, May 22nd 2007, 8:00am (Tokyo). Originally appeared in Sankei Shimbun, May 22nd, 3:31am. Variations also appeared in other publications, including Jiji Tsûhin.
Further details regarding the case of beaten-to-death Rikkyo University student Satoru Kobayashi can be read in this Japan Times article (free subscription required).
Article Source: Yahoo! News Japan, May 22nd 2007, 8:00am (Tokyo). Originally appeared in Sankei Shimbun, May 22nd, 3:31am. Variations also appeared in other publications, including Jiji Tsûhin.
2007年5月16日水曜日
Video Of Ichihashi Posted On Gyotoku Police Website
The video footage described in the previous entry has now been removed from Nippon News Network's site, but is now available on the official Gyotoku Police website.
Please visit this page and click the first link under the wanted poster to watch the footage. If you want to save the file (1.8Mb) on your local hard drive, right click and save. Microsoft's Windows Media Player is required to view this video.
As the video was taken from Ichihashi's building's elevator security camera, the footage is quite choppy (not unlike a convenience store camera) and there is no audio. It is, however, larger and of better quality than what was shown on TV and contains Ichihashi's full entrance and exit from the elevator.
Please visit this page and click the first link under the wanted poster to watch the footage. If you want to save the file (1.8Mb) on your local hard drive, right click and save. Microsoft's Windows Media Player is required to view this video.
As the video was taken from Ichihashi's building's elevator security camera, the footage is quite choppy (not unlike a convenience store camera) and there is no audio. It is, however, larger and of better quality than what was shown on TV and contains Ichihashi's full entrance and exit from the elevator.
2007年5月9日水曜日
New Video Footage of Suspect Ichihashi Made Public
In a development in the case of murdered British English teacher Lindsay Ann Hawker, new video footage of suspect1 Tatsuya Ichihashi was made public by police on May 7th. Hawker's body was found at Ichihashi's condominium in March of this year.
The footage was captured by a security camera in the elevator of Ichihashi's condominium2 sometime between March 20th and March 25th, when Hawker's whereabouts become unknown.
There remain no clues as to Ichihashi's whereabouts as police continue to appeal to the public for information.
Gyotoku Police Hotline: 047-397-0110
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Please follow this link to Nippon News Network's online article, where you can view the news segment including the elevator footage by clicking either the 56k icon (small video window) or 300k icon (large video window) in the lower right corner of the article. (Windows Media Player required).3
The newscasters cover the same information in the article above, emphasizing that these are the first images of Ichihashi in a "normal" state, fixing his hair etc. The text on the image above also mentions the image as Ichihashi's sugao -- his "natural face" or "real self" -- as captured right before the crime (the black clothing appears to be the same clothing worn in the café footage).
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1 Although Ichihashi is the prime suspect in Lindsay Hawker's murder, the official crime he is listed as being suspected of (in all media) is "illegal disposal of a dead body," which is often the first charge in a murder case. The standard reference to Ichihashi in every article is the unwieldy "Unemployed Ichikawa City resident suspected of abandonment of a dead body, Tatsuya Ichihashi." The replacement of this with "murder suspect" or simply "suspect" in my translations both aids the flow of the writing as well as providing the Western equivalent of the crime he'd be wanted for questioning in, though it is not technically a correct translation.
2 In the first segment of footage, Ichihashi appears to be wearing the same striped top he has on in the wanted poster image.
3 I am not sure how long this footage will remain available online. If anybody has the capability to capture streamed WMV files, please contact me. It could be hosted on Youtube or a similar solution.
Article Source: Nippon News Network (NNN) (a division of the Nippon Television Network [NTV]), May 7th, 5:18pm (Tokyo). Also appeared in slight variations in the Mainichi Shimbun, Sankei Shimbun, Jiji Tsûshin etc.
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