crime

Ex-Yamato worker gets 27 years in prison for murder

31 Comments

The Kobe District Court has sentenced a former part-time worker at Yamato Transport Co to 27 years in prison for the murder of one colleague and the attempted murder of another co-worker in Kobe in 2020.

Prosecutors had sought 28 years for Shinichi Kakei, 47, a former employee at Yamato's Kobe Kita Suzurandai Center in Kita Ward, on Feb 3, Sankei Shimbun reported. After hearing the sentence, Kakei shouted out in court that he had been hoping for the death penalty.

According to the indictment, Kakei fatally stabbed a 47-year-old female employee and seriously wounded a 60-year-old male employee at the distribution center at around 4 a.m. on Oct 6, 2020. The woman, Mayumi Hirono, was confirmed dead at the scene after suffering several stab wounds to her abdomen. The male employee, who was stabbed with a separate knife, sustained minor injuries, but was able to call police.

The day before, Kakei had an argument with the male employee he stabbed. Hirono attempted to break up the argument but without success. Kakei roughed her up when she tried to intervene.

Her superior asked her to notify police about the trouble. Hirono told police that Kakei hit her and grabbed her tightly. She was quoted by police as saying, “The company has instructed me to file a complaint, but his violence wasn’t directed at me, so I didn’t want to report it as a crime.”

Kakei was forced to resign that afternoon.

After he returned the next morning and stabbed his two former colleagues, Kakei fled the distribution center in a car parked at the scene and later switched to his own vehicle which he crashed into a police patrol car. He told police he rammed the patrol car because he knew was going to be arrested anyway.

Following his arrest, Kakei was quoted as stating, “I was furious after being fired.”

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31 Comments
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Now, hopefully, the surviving family will move toward civil remedies against the Yamato company and her supervisors for obligating ‘her’ to file the complaint AND failing to provide for their employees protection in the days subsequent to his firing.

The company has instructed me to file a complaint, but his violence wasn’t directed at me, so I didn’t want to report it as a crime.” -

I was furious after being fired.” - The deceased did not do the firing, the company did.

More information that the company had prior knowledge but was unprepared. The caller to 110 at the time of the murder was apparently another worker in the facility at the early morning hour and knew exactly who the assailant was. From additional media sources:

At around 4:20 a.m., police were alerted to the takkyubin company’s Kobe Kita Suzurandai Center. “There are screams from a person being stabbed,the caller said while adding that the assailant was dismissed from his post the day before.” -

All opinions being equal here, I would be most interested in reading the ‘learned’ opinion of those most knowledgeable of these types of civil matters in Japan’s legal system, not just the speculation of our fellow laypersons.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

"Mayumi Hirono, was confirmed dead at the scene after suffering several stab wounds to her abdomen."

WOW killed in the office, where were the security guards?

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Reads like another loon lost his rice grains and flew over the coddle playpen and threw his life away at 47.

probably will be more to follow.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

AND failing to provide for their employees protection in the days subsequent to his firing."

even the flatfoots will snitch on the complainant- j-sys is very weak in that regard, and many JN's are blanched to report things.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

No, @Mark 7:37pm it wasn’t a “love triangle”. The convicted had a dispute with the male co-worker the day before, so she tried at the time to intervene and quell his temper. He then roughed her up. Then, the company obligated her to file the complaint with police. So, he showed the next day taking the majority of his anger out on the* ***female **coworker.

*- “The woman, Mayumi Hirono, was confirmed dead at the scene after suffering several stab wounds to her abdomen. The male employee, who was stabbed with a separate knife, sustained minor injuries, but was able to call police.” - *

Based on his confession at the time of ramming the police car later, there may have been additional incidents or crimes not mentioned above.

*- “After stabbing those people and doing a lot of other things, I thought I would be arrested no matter what. So I rammed the police car.” -*

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Fool "said he had been hoping for the death penalty." he talk that crap on this side, like so many of "them" but on the other side he's eternally, horrifically screwed, by the severe demons of hades, and chains of darkness, and will hope foe escape where there is none.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

"he crashed into a **random police patrol car. He told police he rammed the patrol car"?**

This loose cannon is venting out on a cop car? This is a bad sign, of the breakdown of their society.

Seems like they need to monitor possible hostile corporate terminations. (i.e. esp. forced to resign)

What happened to safe JP respect for authority?

0 ( +2 / -2 )

"A case can take 5-10 years to reach the civil courts."

that's encouraging..."and could add to the myriad of reasons why many JN's are blanched to report things."

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Condolences for the poor lady who lost her life to the reckless murderer .

@Snowymountainhell making assumptions of who is a lay-person and being belligerent is not condusive to a meaningful discussion .

@ Snowymountainhell- If you post your comment below the the comments or article paragraphs your voicing your opinion on then you would definitely appear to be more intelligent and have some attention to detail.

Over compensation for iniquities becomes obvious.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Given his crime was premeditated I am surprised he didn’t get a life sentence or does Japan not have such? Honestly don’t know.

While I am not unhappy at the fact I am surprised he didn’t get a death sentence.

RiskyMosaic, death penalty is state murder.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Agree with @wowyz 11:11pm: that’s encouraging” to read someone’s tenacity & perseverance, @zichi 9:41pm, in the Japanese court system could pay off/come to a sufficient resolution:

“First, the parties must attend an arbitration court before the matter can advance to the district civil court. That takes more than one year. A case can take 5-10 years to reach the civil courts. A lot of time and a lot of money. I won my three cases.” -

Sure hope the decedent’s, Mayumi Hirono, surviving family goes after Yamato AND her supervisors for some legal recourse for their roles in her wrongful death.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Exactly why lockdowns would't work in Japan!

Japanese people would completely lose their collective sheet if they couldn't work a have a clear target, being the government!

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Yes, I’m aware it’s a discussion forum about the “Crime” news but just was wondering IF any of our fellow layman here have ANY professional OR personal experience of a criminal case such as this one being completed and then moving forward into seeking civil remedies for the wrongful death. It’s only Your assumption that everyone is a layperson here and NONE are qualified or certified in Japan to offer a legal opinion.

@7:09am responding to @8:34pm: [*All opinions being equal here, I would be most interested in reading the ‘learned’ opinion of those most knowledgeable of these types of civil matters in Japan’s legal system, not just the speculation of our fellow laypersons.***]

*- @zichi 7:09am: **“This is a news forum where people post their opinions. It's not some kind of experts forum and we are all laypeople. I do not think there are any lawyers, judges, or police officers on this forum.” *

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Poor woman. RIP

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Nor are feeble attempts at whatever you’re inferring *@KY9:15am**.*

- @Kyo wa heiwa dayo ne 9:15am: “@Snowymountainhell making assumptions of who is a lay-person and being belligerent is

*not condusive to a meaningful discussion.**” -*

Let me know when you’re capable of having one.

In the meantime, no one “assumed” anything. I stated a interest to read comments from a ‘knowledgable person’ or ‘someone with personal experience on legal matters in Japan’ …

... and I did.

IF, by chance, you’re also a legal scholar or professional practicing in Japan then, by all means speak up.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

@Expotential Witness,

Awesome comments.

However,this is Japan and everything is arbitrary,much like the driving test, especially if you don't know any 'elites.'

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

What was the argument about, ? was this a love triangle?

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

WRONG: IMO, they need security guards in offices, trains, university front gates etc,. these days.

I guess if you live a life of fear, then sure. But back in the real world where Japan is EXTREMELY safe, as safe as basically any other nation on the planet, no, Japan doesn't need security guards in those places. Unless you like living in a police state with guns and fear of course.

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

WOW killed in the office, where were the security guards?

What security guards? This isn't America, where every business needs a security guard because of a proliferation of murderers in the country (Remember, guns don't kill kill Americans, Americans kill Americans). This is Japan where companies don't need security guards.

-9 ( +2 / -11 )

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