crime

14-year-old who stabbed schoolmate held grudge against victim: police

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I am not condoning violence, but after working in Japan public education for over twenty years, I find that schools and teachers punish those who physically lash out more than they do the student who's been continuously bullying, as long as that bully didn't physically touch the other. I'm afraid that many teachers are unaware of just how being bullied, even when it's not physical, can effect a child for years afterward.

What is worse? Being taunted day by day or lashing out at the one doing the taunting? Again, not condoning violence and especially taking a life.

11 ( +13 / -2 )

The 12 o'clock NHK news said that the boy who was killed had bullying the other boy. So I guess it was a two way street.

11 ( +12 / -1 )

14-year-old who stabbed schoolmate held grudge against victim: police

Whoa, thank you police.

Riveting news! How did you guys come up with that one?

You guys should receive medals of knowledge or something.

10 ( +14 / -4 )

When I was at school disputes between boys were solved by a fight behind the bike sheds. I am in no way condoning violence but it really cleared things up. Both parties would shake hands and go on to live another day - sometimes even becoming friends. In Japan there seems to be no middle way, everything is so extreme.

8 ( +16 / -8 )

I feel for everyone involved, they are only kids and it is certainly a crime of passion but ordering online, waiting, receiving and then using a knife to kill somebody looks very bad on paper.

I feel these types of people have already given up on their own life and are prepared to face the punishment.

It's just so sad.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

I do not condone the actions of the suspect at all. But, when I first saw the news break my first thought was a case of the bullied taking revenge on the bully.

My guess, again - just a guess - Yuzuki Ito was a bully to beat, tormented, belittled the suspect to a breaking point (Anyone remember Michael Douglas in "Falling Down"?).

As an American, I feel stabbing like this is a "crime of passion". The suspect just broke and had enough. RIP: Yuzuki Ito.

7 ( +12 / -5 )

The father of the suspect told Kyodo News, "There is no information and I am confused. I cannot say anything."

How could he know? He like many parents in Japan know next to nothing about what is happening in their children's lives.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

Maybe he had his reasons such as bullying.

Call Japanese schools tend to hide the fact.

If he hadn't done this, the reasons why he had the grudge against him would have been crushed and dumped

6 ( +7 / -1 )

the local education board will establish an independent committee to ascertain what led to the incident.

for what?

A punk murdered a classmate. That guy is insane. That’s what led to the incident.

The boy is still dead.

you still need a motive?

and besides, when does the BOE know anything, anyway?

5 ( +11 / -6 )

See this is the problem with not voicing out your discontent and feelings. People just bottle things up until the pressure becomes too much and they explode. In Japanese society where they're conditioned not to express themselves publicly and to put on a good face, they either go the passive-aggressive route or keep things to themselves until stuff like this happens. Sad case all around - there are no winners here. Hopefully, they give the kid the mental health help he needs. Condolences to the family of the boy who died.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

nandakandamanda

Sounds like the guy felt inadequate compared to the more successful and popular Ito Yuzuki.

Sounds to you. To me it sounds more like pent-up anger against a bully. Fact is, neither of us knows for sure.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

I am wondering why he would buy a knife online instead a quick purchase at the 100 yen shop. That seems to be premeditated. They probably had some kind of previous relationship if the kid went through that much trouble. Maybe the attacker felt abandoned after they drifted apart in middle school.

I met a Japanese guy in 70s about ten years ago. I am not sure if he is still alive, but he use to have a yearly elementary school class reunion. The students stay in the same class together for 6 years. That is a lot of time to bond. That can easily change in middle school.

Elementary school friendships do not last forever. Some can not deal with such a difference in middle school. It happens!

4 ( +4 / -0 )

14-year-old who stabbed schoolmate held grudge against victim: police

Ya think?

I'm gobsmacked! Say it aint so!!!

3 ( +9 / -6 )

There's also been talk of the stabbing victim having bullied the boy who allegedly killed him for a long time, so there's likely to be much more to this story. Don't know if it's true at this stage, but certainly not out of the question.

The father of the suspect told Kyodo News, "There is no information and I am confused. I cannot say anything."

This doesn't surprise me at all. If the alleged killer was bullied, there's a very good chance he kept the problem to himself and silently seethed over it for a long time without talking to his parents about it. There may have been a trigger incident, or maybe he just couldn't hold it in anymore. This is speculation of course, but it wouldn't surprise me.

3 ( +9 / -6 )

@Tom Doley

It was not impulsive, it was planned according to the article.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Seems like the bullied killed the bully, will be interesting to see if the bullying was ever brought to the teachers/schools attention & then little done or who knows......

Sadly bullying is very much part of the culture, society far too often turns a blind eye. And again given the culture asking help even from parents is hard for Japanese.

Sad all round, no winners, society fails a lot of its own people far too often when bullying is involved, and sadly its pretty pervasive.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

In my high school way back when, a girl stabbed and murdered another girl over summer vacation. Turned out the victim had been the instigator of severe bullying targeting the killer. Certainly led many to feel some sympathy for her. Kind of like a woman who murders her abusive husband etc.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

That's more than a grudge. That's just pure evil.

2 ( +11 / -9 )

That kid definitely has mental issues, but that does not excuse him from taking a life. I'm sure not much will happen to him, as he's a tike (a mental tike, to be exact). I hope he does his time with some psycho help.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

As I posted in the first article. Ask yourself why a kid would bring a knife to school? 90% of the kids respect one another the victim more than likely bullied the suspect for years and this went unnoticed by the board and parents. The suspect finally had enough and the only way he could end his troubles were to yes get revenge which the media is now calling a grudge. This was not a grudge the bullying was constant and the suspect felt enough of that. If this is the case the suspect should give his reasons I’m not saying killing someone for bullying you is justifiable but at least at that age it will get the school board off their duffs to really understand the seriousness of what is going on in their schools. Once a bully always a bully until a bully meets it’s match.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

tragic on so many fronts.

The death of a boy, his family devasted for life.

The waste of both kids lives,

The devastation for the perpetrator's family as they search for reasons.

The devastation of the pupils in the school.

Tragic on so many levels

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Due process seems to be an anathema to J prosecutors, a contempt of court proceedings.

Attempting, by leaking and briefing the media through undisclosed sources, to try a 14 year old minor in the press, which could ultimately sway a jury is outrageous.

A 14-year-old boy who stabbed to death a fellow student at a junior high school in central Japan on Wednesday said he had troubles with the victim and held a grudge against him, according to investigative sources.

According to investigative sources.!??

None of the above should have been published until a judicial review/verdict.

All police interviews should have been recorded and with legal representation present.

The father of the suspect told Kyodo News, "There is no information and I am confused. I cannot say anything."

It appears the media have more information than the boys father

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I am in no way condoning violence but...

@Eric I have some bad news about the purpose of the word ‘but’.

“I am in no way condoning violence, but let me explain why my version of violence was better and was a valid way to solve problems.”

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The headline is pretty obvious.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

Another school tragedy. - With some in Japan, there seems to be a seething degree of envy of other, perceived-more successful individuals, beginning in early grade school years, throughout junior and high school and into the working world ?

0 ( +8 / -8 )

its sad....and pathetic same time...

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Crimes of passion usually involve a love/sexual relationship does it not? Murders committed during heated arguments aren’t all necessarily crimes of passion.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Too many people over react impulsively. When will jgov do something about this

Like being able to see and prevent the future like a sci-fi movie?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

There seem to be at least two kinds of passionate anger in Japan, hot anger which is kind of spontaneous, and super cold anger which lies deeper and builds over months and years.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

he hardly "just broke"...he took a knife to school...he had to seethe all night, then make the decision to take the knife with him and intend on stabbing the other kid.....that isn't a crime of passion. That's pre-meditation......he may have reached the end of his tether with any bullying that may have went one, but he didn't just react, grab a knife and lash out. He planned over time what he was gonna do....and did it......

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

This is why Japanese people need to be able to express problems they have with other people quickly and in constructive dialogue, rather than just bottling their feelings up for years, gamaning, engaging in tatamae, and then one day exploding in a Krakatoa-esque murderous rage.

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

Actually Zaphod, I agree with you. That is actually almost exactly what I wrote yesterday, but then today I began to feel this other aspect mingled into it.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Boy, the number of people who started a sentence with “I’m not condoning violence, but…” and then followed it up with a lot of murder apologia is a bit eyebrow-raising. “I’m not condoning violence” should probably end with a full stop.

Any speculation about bullying is just that: speculation. And even if the kid had told the police he did it because he was being bullied, I’d take that with a mountainous heap of salt: after all, he just stabbed a kid to death, so it’s no stretch to think he’s in ass-covering mode.

I feel for everyone involved, they are only kids and it is certainly a crime of passion but ordering online, waiting, receiving and then using a knife to kill somebody looks very bad on paper.

I would agree, premeditation does look bad on paper. Or anywhere really. But this isn’t a crime of passion. A “crime of passion” by its nature can’t be premeditated. A crime of passion isn’t “I was angry at him so I killed him”. It’s a crime you commit in the heat of the moment, without premeditation. If he’s snapped and grabbed the closest sharp object and stabbed him, then yeah, that could be a crime of passion, but planning out the murder in advance isn’t spur of the moment.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

As a parent this murder is very worrying. Where is Kishida? Why isn't he saying anything about these daily murders? The father's reaction is very typical of poor parents, he probably had no idea who his son was or what he's doing, 'sho ga nai'. He's as much to blame as the boy..

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Sounds like the guy felt inadequate compared to the more successful and popular Ito Yuzuki.

-2 ( +6 / -8 )

That murderer needs locking up for 20 years. Imagine if your son had been stabbed to death at school.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Anger management is a big issue in Japan. Too many people over react impulsively. When will jgov do something about this on top of the mental illness plaguing the country.

-5 ( +13 / -18 )

Scumbag

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

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