crime

19-year-old man stabs 44-year-old lover in 'mercy killing'

59 Comments

Police said Tuesday that a 19-year-old man has been arrested over the death of a woman in a park in Tokyo's Kodaira area on Monday.

According to a report on Fuji TV, emergency services received a call at around 12:30 a.m. on Monday from a man who claimed to have stabbed a woman. Authorities rushed to the scene in Koganei Park where they found a 44-year-old woman lying face up with a stab wound to her stomach and her personal effects in a plastic bag nearby. With her, police said, was a 19-year-old man from Shizuoka Prefecture, who was arrested at the scene on a charge of attempted murder. He had with him a knife with an 18-centimeter blade.

The woman was taken to hospital where she was pronounced dead a short time later. The man -- who cannot be named because he is a minor -- told police that he and the woman were lovers and that they had been dating for around two years, Fuji TV reported. He also reportedly confessed to stabbing the woman.

The suspect was quoted as saying that the woman had been sick and that he wanted to put her out of her misery, Fuji reported.

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59 Comments
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He won't go to jail bcause he is not a murderer because he 19 yrs old minor according to the law.

-6 ( +2 / -7 )

Mercy killing . . . 19-year old Japanese . . . can't be anything other than a youth in Asia.

-3 ( +6 / -9 )

The suspect was quoted as saying that the woman had been sick and that he wanted to put her out of her misery, Fuji reported

And I can't believe his story of 'mercy killing'. For mercy killing one usually opt for peaceful and painless way to kill loved one. Not stabbing her with knife in the Park.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

was quoted as saying that the woman had been sick and that he wanted to put her out of her misery,

Well, you gotta admit....That's better then the, "I was drunk. I don't remember." line.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

. . can't be anything other than a youth in Asia.

Groan...............

1 ( +7 / -6 )

44 year old woman dating a 17 year old 2 years later the 19 year old murders her telling the cops she was sick, Too right she was most definitely, sick as in peodophile.

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

Shouldn't the title of this article be 19-year-old "boy" rather than "man" since he is considered a minor here in Japan? (Even though I don't agree that 19 year olds should be classified as minors.)

4 ( +8 / -4 )

"She was sick?", "yeah", "Ok, Let's ask the woman...Ma'am..ohh..she's......case closed".

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

The man—who cannot be named because he is a minor

Bit of a contradiction in terms? Shouldn't it read "The man who cannot be named because although he is a man by everyone's standard, another mind boggling Japanese law requires the man to be a classed as an innocent child not capable of knowing right from wrong. Ah, bless the little fella - TIJ"...

4 ( +6 / -2 )

What a load of hogwash! A Mercy killing? And the flops bought into this? Unbelievable!

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Is this the Japanese version of the "Odd Couple"?

3 ( +3 / -0 )

@ExportExpert

44 year old woman dating a 17 year old 2 years later the 19 year old murders her telling the cops she was sick, Too right she was most definitely, sick as in peodophile.

Why are you already passing judgement on the morals of a dead woman based on a comment by her murderer?

@Disillusioned

What a load of hogwash! A Mercy killing? And the flops bought into this? Unbelievable!

It doesn't say anything about the authorities or anyone else believing what the murderer said.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

They are reporting about this on TV now. Apparently she really did have health problems. Still... what does this idiot think he is? Self-appointed angel of death? Good grief.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

@ Disillusioned

"What a load of hogwash! A Mercy killing? And the flops bought into this? Unbelievable!" .....I AGREE!!!!.....well as one JN hiphop cultured acquaintance told me after reading this report: "its slowly getting like Compton and Inglewood Los Angeles of the 80's...but the drive by's haven't started yet.....

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Shouldn't the title of this article be 19-year-old "boy" rather than "man" since he is considered a minor here in Japan?

Speed, there are free online dictionaries available on the internet. You should check one out. I don't think any of them have definitions dictated to them by the government, and thank God for that! But if you look up minor, you will find that it is a legal term and is NOT synonymous with child, boy, or girl. If it were, then even the lawmakers would just use the word "child". A 19 year old can make babies, hold a job, and punch you just as hard as any 29 year old. So yes, he is a man even though legally speaking, he is a minor according to some laws, but not all of them.

Too right she was most definitely, sick as in peodophile.

You too should check out those free dictionaries EE, even more than Speed. In no way could you determine she was a pedophile from this article. A pedophile prefers prepubescent children. Her boyfriend was post pubescent, and there is no indication that she prefered him to older guys either, nor that she wanted younger. Yes, I know its a popular misuse of the term, but there is no reason to post stupid things just because its popular. To quote your mother: "Would you jump off a bridge if all your friends were doing it?"

All we know is that she was dating him for "around two years", which is not necessarily a full two years. They may have started when he was 18 and perfectly legal in Tokyo. And if he wasn't? Nobody in their right mind cares about that. What we are concerned about is a killing here. The degree of severity between the two is the difference between getting hit with a wet noodle and getting whalloped with a 2 x4.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

The suspect was quoted as saying that the woman had been sick and that he wanted to put her out of her misery, Fuji reported.

I wonder if they can verify if they did indeed date for the past two years, or is this just some kind of sick twisted plan of his to try to get away with it. Dead people can tell no tales, so why not start lying about a relationship to try to cover your "arse."

But if they were dating, she was a pedolphile, and I guess you could say he was probably in over his head.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Too many questions unanswered , the headline reads "mercy killing". Was the lady suffering from an incurable illness that would have led to her demise in a cruel and painfull way? Had she requested her lover to intervene on her behalf? Is euthenasia legal in Japan?

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Japan really needs to do something about the 'adult" age. Did a class on this just this week and they ALL agreed that 20 was too old and that the age should be moved to 18. If you can go to uni, live alone, join the self defense force... you should be seen as an adult in the eyes of the court.

And yes, she was sick. What normal 42 year old woman dates a 17 year old??

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

or is this just some kind of sick twisted plan of his to try to get away with it.

Craziest notion I have read in a while. I can't deny that the concept had not crossed my mind, but I think I would need some LSD to entertain it long enough to bother actually typing it. The woman is dead, so who told them they had been dating for about two years? Think hard.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

How could such a tiny wee infant even be able to hold a blade that big in his cute little chubby baby hands ? Let the little fella toddle on home to mama, poor little lad.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Sounds like a re-enactment of the Spanish movie "Amantes" ("Lovers" in English).

0 ( +0 / -0 )

You were doing good tmarie until you got up to the word "normal". There is not a psychaiatrist alive who would try and label that the result of a mental illness. And I am happy say that year after year, laws that restricted people based on nothing but notions of what is "normal" or socially acceptable to people like you are being repealed and ignored, such as laws against gays, DADT just being recently axed for example. I say, show me the harm, or get stuffed. Murder is harm. Dating and sex between a 17 year old male and a 42 year old female isn't.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Notgthesame, reaching with DADT and not anywhere near on topic.

Normal is not some 42 year old women and a 17 year old kid getting busy. Perhaps in your fantasies but not in real life.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

I am not making the case that it is normal, as in typical or usual. Its not. So what? But you are clearly making the case that its not normal as in its a mental illness. Provide us a link to an expert with a degree proving that contention or ...or....well you can't, so there is no "or". Just learn your lesson. Murder is wrong. Everything else is your personal problem shared by some others, and you need to get over it and yourselves.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

. . can't be anything other than a youth in Asia.

Groan...............

Wow, I totally missed that. I agree - GROAN.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Getting stabbed in the gut with a butchers knife ,That,my freinds is Mercy-less, lingering &Crazy!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I think we're obviously not getting the complete story here. There are too many unanswered questions. For example, if the woman had WANTED the man to kill her why did she not at least leave a note? Who would stab someone you love in the stomach? That seems cruel. Why not aim for the heart at least and make it quicker. Death by knife seems pretty cruel, why not some other way? It doesn't seem to be on the spur of the moment, though, since it's in a park and they brought some sort of kitchen knife (I'm assuming by the size). It doesn't seem to be in anger as she was stabbed once. If the woman cared at all for her lover, she would never have asked him to stab her in any case as he is literally left holding the weapon. Why not go up to a tall bridge somewhere, or jump off a tall building?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Under article 202 of the Japanese penal code, if this was an assisted suicide, the maximum penalty is 7 years in prison.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Yesterday I was working here in my home, KODAIRA, and I had never seen an unmarked police patrol car fly down my street like this, it gave me a real bad feeling, and sure enough, watching the Japanese evening news, see that it was in my part of Tokyo, which really makes me sick, since my 3 year old daughter had to go on a field trip to the SAME PARK, Koganei Koen, with all of the other kindergarten kids! But everything was fine, the blood etc..all cleaned up, but still it gives me the creeps. Poor dead lady, RIP.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Woah... that's really a freakish story. Is is that hard to get pills in Japan, if You want to kill Yourself? Or slashing the wrists? Much less pain...

Killing a dear person with a knife into the bowels could be only understood as kind of assisted seppuku.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

She was sick not in the medical term of sick but sick as in the way general society would see her dating a 17 year old, i wonder if those here that think its normal would say the same thing if it was their 17 year old kid getting molested and fondled by a 44 year old women? And i can guess she probably wasnt no honey to look at either.

Would you not think a 44 year old man dating a 17 year old girl had some sort of affliction, this behaviour is not only abnormal it is also immoral and in fact it is abhorrent that is why there are laws regarding this type of thing.

Corrupting the mind of minors, jeez lady get a life seems now you sure could need one.

If it was my son and some old bag was hanging around she would get a short shift i can tell you that for free.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

The woman is dead, so who told them they had been dating for about two years? Think hard.

@Notthesame: You should slow down before typing. The 19 year old is the one who could have said that they were dating. Obviously the woman is dead. What better way for him to cast doubt as to his guilt or innocence than to say things that she can't contridict since she is dead. That is why good police work will be required for this. They need to pull phone records to see if indeed they have actually known each other for over two years. I am sure that there is other forensic evidence that can be found.

Afterall, look at all of the doubt OJ threw up in his defense and he got off for a double murder. This kid is probably shrewder than you think he may be, and he is probably trying to cling to "I'm not an adult" and therefore had no idea what I was doing was wrong defense as long as he can.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Massive age differance + underage partner = undesirable result

Who would have thought?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Regarding the choice of "boy" vs. "man": The Associated Press stylebook states that "boy" is "applicable until 18th birthday is reached. Use man or young man afterward."

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Massive age differance + underage partner = undesirable result

I could just as easily have said "marriage+foreign wife=chopped penis" in other news this week. Did you notice that most of the time we hear about marriages, dating and pregnancy its in the crime section? I suppose you could come up with a few choice equations for that too. Why don't you?

I guess next you will be saying that Joji Takahashi and Doug Hutchison are going to get their come uppance one of these days, along with dozens of other people I could name who dated underage people and miraculously still live and neither have suffered these undesirable results you speak of.

A women is dead with knife in her belly, and all some people can think about is sexual matters. But since we can't seem to move on I will point this out: If memory serves me correctly, the legal age in Tokyo is 17 anyway. Can we move on now?

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

I see your point now alphaape, but excuse me if I don't apologize. Your contention that she is somehow a pedophile, despite all reason, tainted your whole post.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Notthesame, my first comment was a joke. Kind of. Relax. But seriously, there might be an 'issue' with a 42 year old women wanting a 17 year old boy - more so when you look at a 17 year old boy's maturity in this country. You're all over the place with comparisons that are nothing like this at all.

A women is dead. Yes. We aren't defending 19 year old. We are wondering if his story is true based on the claims that they dated for two years - starting when he was 17 and she was 42. It is odd - like it or not, it is.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

The age of consent in many Western countries, where I assume a lot of the posters on this forum are from, is 16. I find it unusual that people would consider a woman "sick" to have a relationship with a 17 year old.

Do any of you think the "boy" is sick for wanting to be with a woman in her 40's?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

reading into things a bit to far + false equivilance = notthesame post

0 ( +1 / -1 )

A crime of "passion" or "compassion"....what7s your call?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Do any of you think the "boy" is sick for wanting to be with a woman in her 40's?

I would say someone has mommy issues. People will always comment on huge age gaps between couples - Madonna and Demi Moore are examples of women and Hugh Hefner is an example of a man. Are they 'sick"? No idea but they certainly have some issues.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

I would say someone has mommy issues.

And I would say that someone has some superiority issues. I am positive a psychologist would not even attempt to make such a claim just by reading the slim details here on the internet. Call one and find out.

Of course he might tell you that tons of guys have mommy issues and its a part of being human. Lots of teen males have found themselves attracted to women of that age. And here, this may surprise you, but such an infatuation may not have been related to age or mommy at all! Sometimes its the woman's character! Imagine that! Of course for some it is difficult to imagine having an attractive character.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Perhaps you could look into the material/research about what kind of women/female a man/male is usually attracted to and what kind of man/male a women/female is usually attracted to. Give you a hint - females tend to go for older more established males in the "herd" while males go for younger, attractive females. Why? Nature. You can't continue the population if young bucks are doing with older females past their prime. Disagree all you like but I do believe science has backed up this claim numerous time.

There is nothing wrong with being attracted to someone older/younger by a few years (heck, I would go with up to 15 once both parties have matured) but when you have a 42 year old women having a relationship with a child - and by law here, he is still a child - than you have to wonder. If your son or daughter was 17 and dating a 42 year old, I doubt you would be thinking it is okay.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Perhaps you could look into the material/research

Perhaps you could provide some? Then you could explain the significance of condeming unusual attractions? Earlier you accused me of being off topic for pointing out the plight of gays. Well, gay is an unusual attraction too. But guess what? The herd has proliferated despite such unusual attractions. We have done just fine in fact. Coming up on 7 billion on the planet. So what is your worry? Point for point proves its your worry you know. Its all in your head. Whether its your sexophobia talking, or if you just like to invent trouble and enjoy the drama, or if its just a sheer desire to place yourself in a higher pecking order by condeming others choices is anyone's guess.

There is nothing wrong with being attracted to someone older/younger by a few years

And that is purely your opinion. And its about one of the least important of opinions anyone could have. Yet here you are pointing fingers and declaring things "wrong".

a child - and by law here

No country has a law defining what a child is. And as I said earlier, 17 is legal age in Tokyo.

If your son or daughter was 17 and dating a 42 year old, I doubt you would be thinking it is okay.

Well, think again. I will encourage my children to be sex positive people. In no way will I encourage the sexophobia you believe is normal and good. Its neither.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

All readers back on topic please.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Sexophobia? Classic. Will have to remember that!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Here's the thing: there is nothing inherently wrong with dating outside your age group. Indeed, for most of history older man - younger woman has been the most common pairing. The problem is this: the greater the age difference, the greater the chance of complications. Most relationships where age difference is extreme don't work out in some way or another. Some do, but most don't. Thus the notion that there is something "unhealthy" about such relationships and general attempts to discourage them.

I would even go a step farther and say there is nothing inherently wrong about dating someone under the age of adulthood. (I know that will draw stiff disagreement from most posters, but hear me out...) "Age of Adulthood" is an arbitarary concept (as evidenced by different standards in different communities. 18 vs 20, frex). Furthermore, people mature mentally (and physically for that matter) at different rates. Most 15-17 year olds are physically ready for sex. I would argue that most 15-17 year olds are not emotionally ready for serious relationships with adults. Add to this the fact that these sort of relationships are highly likely to be of the manipulative, predatory variety due to the imbalance of power between the older, more experienced and mature adult and the underage partner, and you will quickly understand why we have age-of-consent and statutory rape laws. (These laws leave much to be desired, but there is a real need for them.) So, while it is entirely possible that at 44 you will find your true love in a 17 year old and live happily ever after, it is highly improbable.

Seen in this light, it is unsurprising that: massive age differance + underage partner = undesirable result.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

tmarie, sorry, change that to erotophobic. Your sex negative positions indicate that pretty clearly. There is nothing inherently wrong with the age difference.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Triumvere, I disagree with many things that you say. I gave you a thumbs up anyway, because, despite the flaws, your post is intelligent and contemplative, and I value that. If you keep thinking you will go even higher. I say that because I was once thinking the same things you are.

The problem is this: the greater the age difference, the greater the chance of complications.

There is no proof or special reason to believe that at all. You have no statistics. You could say the same thing about inter-racial marriages, and people used to all the time, with no proof whatsoever. It just behooved them to believe that, plus they were operating on confirmation bias. It turns out that it depends on gender and race. Some inter-racial pairings are actually more likely to stay together and some more likely not to. I suspect the same is true of pairing with age difference. I suspect its not a simple picture at all.

And what are complications anyway? There is nothing to indicate that this killing was in any way related to age difference, nor is there anything said here about age related complications for the two years they dated.

Add to this the fact that these sort of relationships are highly likely to be of the manipulative, predatory variety due to the imbalance of power between the older, more experienced and mature adult and the underage partner, and you will quickly understand why we have age-of-consent and statutory rape laws.

I don't know about the "highly likely" part. There are certainly more facets of abuse, but that does necessarily mean more abuse. But I have seen plenty of abusive relationships among like age, and one factor is the simple fact that men have 3 times the upper body strength of women and are willing to use it. Its possible she psychologically dominated him, but look who killed who. He might have been the abusive one all along, and could have been just the same with any female of any age. But if we were to ban male-female relationships because men have a strength advantage...well that would be just silly. But that is exercising the same logic. You don't ban a relationship because it "might" be abusive. You ban it because it "is" abusive...full stop.

But I would happily make the bet that if most under-age/ adult relationships are abusive and predatory, its because they are illegal. If you made sex illegal except for procreation and only punished the males, I guarantee you rapes, gropings and the like would skyrocket as well as general abuse of women. When you cannot afford to get caught, many choose to abuse people to cover their tracks. I know of many specific non-abusive violations of the age of consent. I know of many abusive relationships between legal adults.

But I don't even think most "illegal" relationships are abusive and predatory. I think they are made to look that way by confirmation bias and news reports twisting the truth or making lies of omission to stir up outrage in order to sell print.

I hope you keep thinking on this, because your words indicate that you are head and shoulders above your peers and have the capacity to sort what is fact, what is self-serving fiction, and what is simply guesswork.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

It's funny that most readers here focus on their age difference, as it is the sole reason behind the crime. Guys, this has nothing to do with it. It could have very easily been a 20 years old vs a 18 years old crime or a 50 years old vs a 48 years old crime. Lunatics are lunatics. You never stab anyone just because she broke up with you or makes your life miserable. There are several other rational choices but killing anybody is definitely the WORST.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

You don't ban a relationship because it "might" be abusive.

We do this a lot, actually. WIth minors. With polygamy. We erect barriers between student/teacher and boss/employee relationships. It's a power-imbalance thing.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

It's a power-imbalance thing.

Its a power imbalance thing when its a power imbalance thing and not before. Besides, I have heard of janitors at schools getting busted for dating a student on the same principle. What's was he going to do? Yank back the "wet floor" sign in front of her if she refused to date him?

And we may pre-emptively block relationships, but that does not make it right. DV is a worldwide phenomenon, but I don't see people screaming for a ban on marriage and male-female cohabitation.

So its not really about power imbalance. Its about primitive and presumptuous feelings, such as pecking order and exercising will over others. I am all for cracking down on someone using a power imbalance to coerce others into sexual relationships. But just assume it will happen because it soothes some primitive part of the mind is unfair and as crazy as boldly declaring this killing was the result of age difference.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"Most relationships where age difference is extreme don't work out in some way or another. Some do, but most don't."

If you have any empirical data to support this claim, I'd be interested to see it.

My evidence to the contrary is admittedly anecdotal, however I know several couples with a significant age difference who are trucking along just fine. My favorite couple is well into their 40th year of marriage and they are 15 years apart in age, have four children and a small army of grandchildren, every one of them as well-adjusted and normal as one can reasonably expect anyone to be in this complicated world we live in.

Age difference has very little to do with this story of a young man murdering his lover.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

19 y/o lover is 44 y/o ? wow ????

0 ( +1 / -1 )

hmmmmmmm was this chick even hot? well...theres definitly something wrong with that guy

0 ( +0 / -0 )

If only they had banned questionable manga earlier this would never have happened.

/s
0 ( +0 / -0 )

This woman wasn't sick - she was a cougar.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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