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Japanese Police Seek Taiwanese Student (Possible Suspect in Double Murder?)

Some new details have emerged regarding the murder of two Taiwanese women who were studying Japanese at the Intercultural Institute of Japan in Tokyo.

The Mainichi has provided some details on how the crime took place in the morning:

Lin last spoke on the phone with a male friend around 8 a.m. Thursday, but when another male friend called her about 9:20 a.m., she did not answer, the investigators said, leading them to believe the victims were murdered sometime during the time period.

Lin had promised to go on a trip that day with the male friends, who attend the same language school. They had been planning to meet at a subway station at 9:30 a.m. But when she did not show up, the friends contacted a school official, who then found the women inside the room, according to the investigators.

Lin was found lying in the hallway inside her room with a winter jacket and boots on. With her luggage found beside her, she was apparently attacked right before leaving her apartment, the investigators said. Chu was found bleeding on the bottom bunk bed, indicating she was possibly assaulted while in bed.

As noted in the previous post, their keys were also missing. The door to the room had been locked and all the windows were closed.

Focus Taiwan has reported that the father of one victim believes that the building’s security system and the timing of the crime could indicate that the murderer was somebody who knew the girls:

The father of Lin Chi-ying, a 22-year-old who was studying Japanese at a language school in Tokyo, said the dormitory is well-secured and requires an electronic security card for entry and exit.

The murder, which took place at around 10 a.m. Thursday (Taiwan time) was most likely committed by an acquaintance, he said

The latest Japanese news articles state that an acquaintance of the two girls has mysteriously disappeared. The person in question is a male student from Taiwan who was studying at the same school. Police are trying to locate him so that he can be questioned about the murder.

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24 comments - What do you think? Posted by James - January 7, 2012 at 4:48 pm

Categories: Foreigners in Japan Tags:

http://hanlonsrzr.blogspot.com/ Ἀντισθένης

“The father of Lin Chi-ying, a 22-year-old who was studying Japanese at a
language school in Tokyo, said the dormitory is well-secured and
requires an electronic security card for entry and exit.”

Keep the heat on the police and prosecutors, and remind them how to do their job competently (rather than coerce someone into a confession), and they might even get the right bastard, even if the victims were women, and foreign. Not like this would be the first time they did a poor job. Remember the foreign hostess buried in a bathtub?

supercub

Did you know that the average homicide clearance rate in the United States is 60% and several major metropolitan police forces have rates in the low twenties? Do you also realize that there are hundreds of homicide fugitives wanted in the United States many of whom have been on the run for years? Perhaps you need a little perspective before criticizing Japanese law enforcement.

And Lindsay Hawker was not a hostess; she was an English teacher. It took two years to catch Ichihashi, which was awful for the victim’s family, but they did catch him.

Richard

Before the police caught Ichihashi, it took them only 30 seconds to lose him when they visited his flat to question him about the disappearance of his teacher..

Back on topic, it has to be said the facts of the case so far point towards the acquaintance of the Taiwanese ladies as being the culprit. Even Phoenix Wright would have trouble getting him off.

It makes me sad to see young people cut down in their prime like this. They were vigorous and full of hope and promise for the future.

yankdownunder

“Before the police caught Ichihashi, it took them only 30 seconds to lose him when they visited his flat to question him about the disappearance of his teacher..”

only 30 seconds

So how long does it take your police? 40 seconds?

supercub

And to be clear, when I say hundreds of homicide fugitives in the U.S., I mean people who have been identified as perpetrators by the police. These are criminals who have homicide arrest warrants and are on the lam. In addition to these many fugitives, there are presumably thousands of murderers in the United States who have avoided police identification (there are about 6,000 unsolved murders in the U.S. every year – how many in Japan?). Identifying a suspect and arresting that person is not as easy as it looks on TV.

I am usually reluctant to criticize people for doing their jobs poorly, when the objective facts suggest that they actually do their jobs quite well. The very low crime rate in Japan and the very high arrest and conviction rate for serious crime in Japan suggests that the Japanese police are very effective.

http://hanlonsrzr.blogspot.com/ Ἀντισθένης

I am sorry to confuse an English teacher with a hostess, though from my perspective it doesn’t matter: neither deserve to be killed. Don’t you agree?

Don’t you wonder if a high-clearance rate isn’t suspicious? Have you not heard about the rate of ‘confessions’ to police/prosecutors? Watch the news or read something. I am hardly the first to be dubious of Japanese ‘justice’: so is Japanese news media. Also, you might not want to use the US as a point of comparison: unusually high murder rate (guns, maybe?), and unresolved race and class issues.

Ponta

”
Have you not heard about the rate of ‘confessions’ to police/prosecutors?”

So what is the rate of “confession” ? and how many are forced?

”
I am hardly the first to be dubious of Japanese ‘justice’ ”

I agree we had better stay alert to any justice system. But I have little reason to believe the Japanese police will do their job incompetently in this case.
Do you have any specific reason to believe Japanese police will not do their job competently other than your vague references and your view like ”in Japan the people act like robots”?

Ap

You really should look into more objective reports about the Japanese police

You have a very wrong opinion on the Japanese police.

Hans Dampf

Unfortunately not. have a look at Hiromasa Ezoe’s “Where is the Justice” and “Still seeking justice”.

Ponta

”
have a look at Hiromasa Ezoe’s “Where is the Justice” and “Still seeking justice””
Do you think Ezoe’s book is objective?

http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%B1%9F%E5%89%AF%E6%B5%A9%E6%AD%A3
Why didn’t he appeal to a higher court if he was seeking justice?
Hans Dampf

Because the suspended sentence was as close to not guilty as possible.
Ponta

”
Because the suspended sentence was as close to not guilty as possible”

Then was it not close to justice　as he considered?
He could win not guilty if he appealed to a higher court but he didn’t
And he still has a chance to apply for a new trial(再審）but he is not filing a motion.
Is he seeking justice?

For instance, muneo suzuki claimｓ that he was not guilty. some believe what he says, but others consider it as just a political gesture.

A story from ex-defendant should not be taken lightly but it is not necessarily objective just as a story from a prosecutor is not necessarily objective.
Level3

ponta,

Perhaps because it costs a lot of money to pay lawyers? To avoid jail (knowing I am innocent), I would use ALL my money and beg and borrow from family and friends, but if the court decides no jail time, it becomes a different decision.

Or perhaps beacuse there is no double jeopardy protection in Japan (you can be found innocent once, but then guilty in an appeal, which seems insane if the standard is supposed to be “reasonable doubt”), so a retrial could yield an even worse deicsion for the defendant? (I could be wrong)

But the overall issue for me is this..
ANY 95% or 99% “success rate” coming from ANY organization (especially a government with no external verification) should make ANY rational person (or at least 99% of them, wink) at least question how that figure was calculated…

If you do not question it, it seems like a matter of personal faith. Some have unshakable faith in their “god”, their politics, or in this case, their ”justice” system. That is their choice, but the bias is too clear in a debate. They ignore contrary evidence. They have strict standards for the opponent’s claims, but no standards for their own claims. And they never change their minds. They are not truly engaging in debate.
Ponta

Level 3

Perhaps because it costs a lot of money to pay lawyers?

→
He was super rich, and probably he still is.

“Or perhaps beacuse there is no double jeopardy protection in Japan (you can be found innocent once”

→
As for double jeopardy, see another comment of mine. Anyway it is irrelevant here. He was not found innocent.
He could have appealed to a higher court as Suzuki Muneo did, but he didn’t .

”But the overall issue for me is this..
ANY 95% or 99% “success rate” coming from ANY organization (especially a government with no external verification) should make ANY rational person (or at least 99% of them, wink) at least question how that figure was calculated…

If you do not question it, it seems like a matter of personal faith. Some have unshakable faith in their “god”, their politics, or in this case, their “justice” system. That is their choice, but the bias is too clear in a debate. They ignore contrary evidence. They have strict standards for the opponent’s claims, but no standards for their own claims. And they never change their minds. They are not truly engaging in debate.”

→

Right. Nobody is claiming Japanese judicial system is perfect. But you should also note less the conviction is, the more likely it means the police and prosecutors abuse their power and arrest and put innocent people to the trial.

As I said, you should be alert to any judicial system and the abuse of power but conviction rate itself means little when it comes to measuring how fair the system is.
Hans Dampf

> He could win not guilty if he appealed to a higher court but he didn’t

The public prosecutors asked for a non-suspended sentence. If you’re familiar with the japanese system, then you know that it is very unlikely for a verdict like this to be overturned. The Muneo case is not relevant, it didn’t take 13 years and three presiding judges for the court to hand down a verdict, also the scandal itself was much smaller.

And if you don’t like the english title then you can read it in japanese: 江副浩正の真実。Hiromasa Ezoe’s truth – HIS truth, not an objective account.

Anyway, this is not about Ezoe but about the way the Japanese Police work.
Ponta

“The public prosecutors asked for a non-suspended sentence. If you’re familiar with the japanese system, then you know that it is very unlikely for a verdict like this to be overturned. “→It is unlikely because if he had no convincing evidence. No? ”The Muneo case is not relevant.”→I don’t see why　not.Both of them claimed the judgement is not right. Mune appealed to a higher court. Ezoe didn’t appeal but accepted the judgement.”And if you don’t like the english title then you can read it in japanese: 江副浩正の真実。Hiromasa Ezoe’s truth – HIS truth, not an objective account. “→Do you think truth is subjective, relative to a person?If that is what you are talking about. I have nothing more to say.”Anyway, this is not about Ezoe but about the way the Japanese Police work.”→And you were trying to say something about the way the Japanese police work based upon “HIS truth, not an objective account”Naturally one can’t expect the objective account/report of the way Japanese police work, which AP was asking for and you were trying to answer.

Hraesvelgr

High arrest and conviction rate doesn’t mean that the police are effective at all, actually. Whether Japan’s police force is good or bad is neither here nor there, but having a high arrest and conviction rate does not mean that they are doing their job properly or that they are doing their job well, regardless of whether it’s Japan, America or wherever. Perhaps if you live in a totalitarian system and question nothing, but I would be just as suspicious of a high arrest and conviction rate as I would be of a low one.

Mikeguest

Antisthenes.

It’s true that some cases in Japan in which confessions were coerced have come to light and have been very heavily covered by the Japanese media recently. The possibility of a coerced confession is also a theme seen on J cop dramas– but is of course hardly unique to Japan.

Did you know that it is enshrined in Japanese law that you cannot be convicted on a confession alone?
Are you also aware that under Japanese law any confession must be shown to have not been coerced– that is in the confession the suspect will have revealed some information about the crime that only the criminal would have known. Before opting to take a case to trial the prosecutor will go over the police interrogation records in some detail. If they feel that there is likely coercion in any confession they run the risk of the defense raising reasonable doubt on this point abnd losing the case. In Japan prosecutors are unlikely to take a dubious case to trial for fear of losing– and subsequent reprimand.

It’s true that the trial-to-conviction rate is about 99% and that confessions appear as part of the prosectors case ina majority of these but did you know that the suspect-to-conviction ratio for felonys and murders is higher in the U.S. than in Japan? How could this be? As you probably know, the prosecutor can ask for an extended detention while a suspect is in custody. The prosecutor wants to be absolutely sure that their case is airtight before going to trial. Time is needed to establish this. During this detention process many (I believe most) charges are dropped if the prosecuion feel that they don’t have a slam dunk case. When the evidence appears overwhelming and the prosecution is ready to try the case the defense lawyers will often advise the defendant to confess since this could mitigate the sentencing.

Also, since there is less time to prepare a case while the suspect is in detention in most Western countries there are more cases where the defendant is found not guilty for reasons of insanity or incompetence. These cases tend to be weeded out before they go to trial in Japan.

Of course felons caught red-handed will often admit their guilt- as in most countries- but such admissions in Japan is counted as a ‘confession’ but it has nothing to do with toruous police grilling sessions.

A lot of foreigners hold a belief that suspects are pulled almost at random in Japan, badgered by police under long, isolated detention and then coerced into a confession and that the prosectors produce the confession in court and it’s case over. It doesn’t work like that.

I wrote this quickly. I hope I haven’t missed anything important.
Level3

This debate is cool and all, but we have to remember that when police (any police system without much of an independent, external invesigation system in place) control the data, then it is easy for them to come up with 95%+ success rates in whatever..
Then add in that there is no double jeopardy protection or jury system in Japan, among other factors.
Comparing J stats to other countries is apples to oranges.

I just want some basic data. Apples to apples.
How many bodies are found in suspicious circumstances per year in Japan?
How many of those are investigated as possible murders?
What percent are given autopsies? (I’ve heard that in Japan the rate is very low due to a lack of doctors that have time/training to do autopsies, so the autopsy rate is like 10%, whereas in the USA or other countries it can be like 60% or more, which would also be important just for the education of the doctors as to why exactly their patients are dead, as a learning tool, but I digress..)

Most importantly, what percent of suspicious deaths (not disease, old age, or obvious accident with witnesses) are reclassified as “accident”, “suicide” etc.? I have a suspicion that in Japan, this rate could be higher than other countries…

Compare such data with other countries, and we can maybe get an idea of the relative effectiveness of the J police.

Yes, Japan (in my experience) is safer than many countries. But also (in my experience, and as seen in the news) J police have an alarming tendency to want to not file a report, not start an investigation, and attempt to convince victims (or just yell at them) to go home and fuggeddaboudit.

Ponta

”Then add in that there is no double jeopardy protection or jury system in Japan, among other factors.”

→Constitution of Japan”Article 39. No person shall be held criminally liable for an act which was lawful at the time it was committed, or of which he has been acquitted, nor shall he be placed in double jeopardy.”

And jury system does not mean it is fairer system, basically it means it is more democratic.
Besides, ” In America, where a right to trial by jury is in the constitution, the vast majority of cases result in plea-bargains (so do not go to trial) or concern minor offences, which are normally dealt with by a single judge. In Britain, only 1% of criminal cases end up before juries, which rarely deal with inquests, either.” (European countries are restricting jury trials; Asian ones expanding themFeb 12th 2009 | Economist)

Japan has introduced the citizen judge system.
”I have a suspicion that in Japan, this rate could be higher than other countries..”

I agree.

“J police have an alarming tendency to want to not file a report, not start an investigation, and attempt to convince victims (or just yell at them) to go home and fuggeddaboudit.”

I have heard about stories how a cop can be nasty, treating an innocent person/suspect as if s/he was a criminal.
But I’ve never experienced not to file a report to the police. The other day I asked several friends if they have experienced the pressure not to file a report to the police. Nobody had such an experience. I think you have the recent murder by a stoker in mind when you are talking about J police wanting not to file a report.

被害届提出「1週間待ってほしい」 10日後にストーカー殺人の無念2011/12/28http://www.j-cast.com/2011/12/28117896.html?p=all・・・・・山下さんの文書などによると、事件の経緯は次のようなものだ。 10月末、山下さんは長崎県警を通じ、3女が住む地区を担当する千葉県警習志野署に通報した。ネットで知り合った容疑者が3女宅に押しかけ、監禁状態にしていることを知ったからだ。 10月30日、習志野署員らは現場へ向かい、容疑者を傷害の疑いで任意同行した。逮捕はせず、「3女には近付かない」と誓約書を書かせるにとどめた。しかし、容疑者はその後、3女の友人らに「3女の居場所を教えないと殺す」と脅迫メールを送った。「被害者の安全確保が最優先。注意は逆効果」「繰り返される同じ事件」 12月6日、山下さんらは3女への傷害の被害届を出そうと習志野署を訪れたが、「1週間待ってほしい」と言われた。・・・・ストーカー事件に詳しい東京都内の男性弁護士は、「遺族のお気持ちは分かるし、警察をかばう気もないが、今報じられている範囲では、即警察がけしからん、というのは難しいのではないか」と話した。 10月末と12月6日の相談の後、ほどなく本人を出頭させるなどの対応は取っており、「桶川事件とは異なる印象だ」。また、「被害届の1週間先延ばし」についても、逮捕できる証拠がそろっていたのかどうか、などの状況が分からないと評価は難しいと答えた。「おかしいし、信じられない」一方、「全国犯罪被害者の会」の松村恒夫・代表幹事代行は、「山下さんの文書や報道が事実だとすれば」という前提で次のように話した。「理由も明かさずに『被害届を1週間待ってほしい』と警察が言ったのだとすればおかしいし、信じられない。桶川事件などを受け、警察の対応はもっと被害者に寄り添う方向に向かっていたと思っていたが、今回の報道を知り、びっくりしている。残念だ」・・・・The victim of the father asked the police for help, and the police went to the spot and captured the suspect and made him declare that he wouldn’t get close to the victim.But mysteriously the police asked the father to file a report a week later when the father tried to file a report.
There are controversies and I am inclined to think the police was wrong.
But that is not sufficient enough to convince me that J police have an alarming tendency to want to not file a report.
Do you have other cases in mind that will lead to conclude J police have such an alarming tendency?
yankdownunder

“I just want some basic data”

“I’ve heard”

“I have a suspicion”

hearsay and suspicions = basic data ???

when police control the data – meaning what?
police are making their own data?

I have no reason to believe police are better in Japan than anywhere else but I cannot see any reason to think they are worse.

supercub

I agree that the police can “cook the books” to get more attractive crime data. Just recently, the New York City police department was criticized for grossly under-representing crimes to improve statistics (by either characterizing crimes as less severe or not reporting crimes altogether). That can happen, but conviction rates are much harder to manipulate.

I am sure that Japan’s higher conviction rate is partly due to prosecutors’ reluctance to try weak cases, but I imagine that kind of selective prosecution happens elsewhere too. One important difference between the U.S. justice system and Japan’s system involves plea bargaining. Plea bargains are allowed in the U.S. and not in Japan. Most criminal cases in the U.S. end with a plea bargain, and these deals do not count as convictions. The U.S. justice system would absolutely implode without plea bargains, because court systems in the U.S. could not possibly handle that volume of trials. Counting plea bargains, I don’t think the U.S. and Japanese criminal justice systems have drastically different conviction rates.

The really divergent statistics involve criminal investigations, especially homicide. Nearly half of the homicides in the U.S. go unsolved. It would be pretty hard to manipulate that data. Bodies with trauma (and most homicides involve trauma) cannot be disappeared. Granted, homicides in the U.S. and Japan vary. The U.S. has many times more than Japan. Many of the homicides in the U.S. involve gang activity and drug dealing. They are often shootings. Most homicides in Japan are “crimes of passion” involving family. It is easier to solve the later. Nonetheless, the difference is stark.

http://hanlonsrzr.blogspot.com/ Ἀντισθένης

Lot of Cool-aid on this thread.

Aceface

Yeah.That’s exactly what I thought when I first read your post.

Japanese Police Seek Taiwanese Student (Possible Suspect in Double Murder?)

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