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 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.

Bureaucrats are the same wherever you go.

HURRY UP AND CATCH THAT SCUM.

SHOULD HAVE COPS IN THE SCHOOLS.

AND ON THOSE SICKLY TRAINS..

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.

Grow up James or look into your diapers before you spit out your pro-Japanese-police verbosity. Also, remember your Mom’s warning to mind your tongue – “Mind your tongue, Jimmy!” Does it ring the bell??

Whatever your mission is, thanks for your comment anyway.

Do you have any proof that they WOULDN’T be interested in catching him, especially when the story is getting a lot of media coverage?

2) Are the Japanese people interested in this issue?

Whenever there are new developments on this case, it is a top story on the TV news here. If Japanese people were not interested in it, why such prominent coverage?

3) Where are the 300,000 posters printed and supposedly distributed by the police?

I’ve seen 3 or 4 of them in Tokyo. I definitely recall seeing one at Narita Airport. They were distributed by the police. If you got off your ass and actually traveled around Tokyo, you might see a few.

5) What are his rich family doing now to collect all data they can to prove that he was a psychologically insane child and that he was psychologically irresponsible for the crime or crimes he has committed?

Wild speculation.

What’s really important now is:

1) Are the Japanese police really interested in catching Ichihashi?
2) Are the Japanese people interested in this issue?
3) Where are the 300,000 posters printed and supposedly distributed by the police?
4) Whoever is housing Ichihashi?
5) What are his rich family doing now to collect all data they can to prove that he was a psychologically insane child and that he was psychologically irresponsible for the crime or crimes he has committed?

For an over-sixty not-too-stupid guy like me, if I were in such a run-away position – a 28-year-old intelligent spoilted brat – who would I rst contact for support?

I wonder if the Japanese police are really looking into that?

What extra information have the police provided beyond anyone can see from the photographs officially released? As far as I know, none.

If I were a police investigator, I would go paranoid if that was all the information I had to catch a criminal.

You see someone with similar eyes, a similar nose, but you can’t tell if the bone structure is the same, but the pursed lips match that photograh, but the rounded ears aren’t as rounded, but those pursed lower lips match perfectly, even when in the video from the cafe he opens his wide mouth to say something to Lindsay, like a positive, “No.”.

I want to know if the guy I saw with injured hands and vaguely similar features could be Ichihashi… But I have no idea, because the police are not releasing detailed information.

Okay… I look at it from the police point of view… If you release too much info, the suspect will definitely hole up…

But, now, this is a gang country… Am I wrong? You always go out on your own in your neighborhood, and you will find out. Even foreigners doing intertainment business will single out foreigners if they are not part of a specifica group. This means an English school that claims to offer native English in the first place…

Was Ichihashi trying to take revenge?

Could I suspect, he was a plotter, trying to take revenge for something?as

Had he ever been harmed by a foreigner? The photographs released by the policed show him as a very good-looking youngman – but they are old photographs…

Was he deformed by a fight or an accident aftar that?

Will someone pick up from here, please?

Got that right. Obara acquittal in Blackman case.

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.

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.

-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?

Really? I have never heard of that crime….do you have any proof of it?

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.

Ok – let me just say, in defense of Japanese men, that they are not all freaky, perverted, and exponentially randier with every year they add to their lives. But you sure would think otherwise if you followed some foreign media coverage after the recen…

If you are seeking information on the murder of Lindsay Hawker, our advice is to pretty much forget about the traditional media and bookmark this page at Japan Probe….

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.

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!

http://nambufwc.org/