Memorial service marks 20 years since fatal stabbing rampage at Ikeda school

Unbearable grief for the parents. Lifelong recovery for the survivors. Condolences for the families. “Rest in Peace” to those lost.

Losing a family member to mindless violence is one of the worst possible experiences in life, even more when the victim is a child.

I remember that attack, it was so horrible. Those poor kids would be all grown up by now, some with kids of their own if not for that crime.

The main entrance to my child’s elementary school in Shinagawa-ku is not locked. There is an office as you enter which is supposed to be staffed at all times but often isn’t. When I enter the school, the old guy who sits there often doesn’t even glance up.

As we saw a couple if weeks ago when a man with a knife wondered around an elementary school (he was angry about the children’s noise!), security is still lacking in Japanese schools and another incident is sadly very likely.

RIP to the children who died 20 years ago. You deserved to be safe at school.

I remember this well. It happened two days after I arrived in Japan. I was totally gobsmacked and couldn’t believe it at the time. Poor little kids.

Hard to even imagine this horrific crime, RIP little angles.

Rest in peace

You are within our heart

We promise that we will never let such a thing happen

Amen

Sad so sad to read the fathers words after all these years he is left with this horrible memory and feelings "I feel like I'm going insane when I think of Yuki" who tried to live, her father said. "I couldn't do anything. I can't forgive myself."

It beyond horrid then and it is beyond horrid now.

I'm opposed to capital punishment but in this case I make an exception. I'm glad Mamoru Takuma got the rope. I hope he suffered.

I tried to bring up this topic to my in-laws today and talked about how devastating it was. They said well this is an everyday thing in the U.S., right? I ended the conversation right there.

I'm opposed to capital punishment but in this case I make an exception

It’s interesting that when mugged by reality, even the staunchest opponents of capital punishment can jettison consistency without any qualms.

I tried to bring up this topic to my in-laws today and talked about how devastating it was. They said well this is an everyday thing in the U.S., right? I ended the conversation right there.

It bothered you that they were pretty much right?

I'm opposed to capital punishment but in this case I make an exception

Then you're not opposed to capital punishment.

Mamoru Takuma is right up there with Tsutomu Miyazaki on the list of the worst human beings who ever lived.

While I have problems with capital punishment, I am not totally opposed to it either. But ultimately, this guy wanted executed, and they gave him what he wanted.

A better punishment IMO, would have been to put him in permanent solitary, surrounded by the photos of the children whose lives he selfishly took, embedded in the walls.

For the rest of his misbegotten life. Cruel and Unusual?

Tell that to the families of those children whose lives he took, whose innocence he took.

To him, death was a mercy, and why should they be merciful to a person like him?

Horrible tragedy that really scared me even when I had no family back then, for a few months it really shacked my faith in humans.

The rampage led many schools in Japan to step up security such as by locking gates and installing surveillance cameras.

In most schools, the classes just have a long Y shaped rod as security to keep the perp a short distance away. So no alarms, no security cameras. Many times I would go to my son's elementary school and just walk in the school to his class because there'd be no one at the front office, no one would stop me for security reasons. If a teacher sees me, they'd just look away, avoid eye contact or just bow and greet. I always thought "This is how easy it is for a stranger to walk into a school here, in BROAD DAYLIGHT and do whatever they came to do. No locked doors, no cameras, nothing!" I think the principal's office, front office and teachers office should have surveilance monitors with cameras at all entrances and exits just in case someone isn't at their post (principal is in a meeting, teachers are all in the class) so there's always someone manning the cameras.

Mamoru Takuma who was sentenced to death in 2003 and executed in September 2004.

Less than a year between the sentence and when justice was served. That's how you do it. USA take note.