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© 2011 AFPFemale Japanese tourist murdered in Myanmar
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© 2011 AFP
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nath
What a shame. This is terrible news.
Disillusioned
Violent crime is rare in miyanma? That is news to me.
smithinjapan
RIP, Chiharu. Sad news.
Disillusioned: "Violent crime is rare in miyanma? That is news to me."
To be fair, the article does clearly state 'Violent crime involving foreign tourists...'.
change
Wasn't it today that I read an article that glorified solo female travelers? Girls, don't take the risk
Tatanka
Headline should read "Women with no common sense pays with her life" As unfortunate a reality as it may be, females travelling alone in many countries are asking for trouble.
naruhodo1
Tanaka, im with you.
some14some
Japan should (not?) impose economic sanctions or issue travel advisory.
WilliB
Burakumin:
Have you been there? It is actually a wonderful country with wonderful people. Only with a criminal government that they don´t deserve.
Serrano
If it's proven beyond a doubt that Min Theik is guilty, he should be executed.
BurakuminDes
WilliB - I will wait until the regime falls, and the locals are free. Would love to visit Burma then. I can't bring myself to contribute money toward the military junta aristocrats running the joint.
Foxie
Having been there numerous times, I am very surprised that this has happened. It is just such a beautiful country with very nice people.
Mr. Bill
Truth hurts I guess. Yes, it sounds like she was a complete fool and could have saved herself with the tiniest bit of common sense.
Does that make the taxi driver any less guilty? Of course not!
I still feel sorry for her, but it does not make her actions any more intelligent or sensible. And if we pretend her actions were just fine and dandy, we invite another to be a victim. Oh, hell no! Shout it from the rooftops! What she did was stupid and she got killed for it! Tell your students! Tell your friends! Tell your daughters! Never invite a situation where you find yourself alone with a strange man in the middle of nowhere, and Bagan is.
girlinjapan
This is a sad story, and I would never ever tell women to stop travelling by themselves. However, women - unfortunately - do have to exercise much more caution when alone. I know girls of other nationalities who have done stupider things whilst travelling alone - they just ended up lucky. This poor girl didn't.
mikediab
@girlinjapan,
I also totally agree with what you said 100%
TokyoGas
Women travelling alone really need to be extra careful. Back in the mid 80's one of my friends traveled alone to Europe. Everything was fine until she struck up a conversation with some guy and ended up getting punched out and mugged by the guy.
kurisupisu
Japanese in general don't have street sense to read dangerous situations abroad.
All tourists can meet danger but it is the inexperience that leads to situations like these.
It is a simple matter to validate motorcycle taxi drivers to safeguard oneself...................
CrazyJoe
Holy *****! And I thought South Korea was bad.
serendipitous
Very sad but when is the last time a foreign tourist was murdered in Myanmar? I can't recall having ever read about such a case. So let's calm down a little.
Laotian in Sapporo
The sick bastard should be executed. Poor girl, may you rest in peace.
To all those female tourists who think of travelling to Southeast Asia alone, better think twice!! It is never safe to be alone .... you could be victims at anytime and anywhere.
Elbuda Mexicano
Japan is still a so called safety country, so many Japanese assume the rest of the world is also very safety and this is what will always get you in trouble, anywhere any time, assuming that other places are as safe as your own country, town etc..I hope others will learn from this horrible tragedy. Would I let my own daughter travel to Myanmar by herself?? Heck no! She is only 3 years old, but no, seriously, time for mothers to sit and have a nice chat with their daughters about common sense, do not get into taxis etc..with strange men by yourself in off the wall places, just makes you a sitting duck and then we get to read about you on JT etc..very, very sad. RIP young Japanese lady killed and raped or raped then killed down in Myanmar.
whiskeysour
Hey when I am traveling alone in southeast asia, i'm precautious about knife wielding robbers, scam artists and various creeps.
Even men traveling to these places die or shot dead.
Mr. Bill
Yep. The truth is not popular, so I am flip flopping. Tell your students, friends and daughters to travel alone and hire lone male cab drivers to take them to remote places like Bagan, because whatever happens happens. Its just the way life is and nothing you can do about it. Shout it from the rooftops!
Antonios_M
Unfortunately, i have to agree with this one. Especially Japanese females seem to lack common sense when traveling abroad. Somehow, they feel free from the stress they have in Japan and act in the worst possible way ignoring all dangers and thinking that any place around the world is 100% safe. Well, its not! Many of them are influenced entirely by Japanese traveling documentaries that present gaikoku as a place similar to paradise with kind people, tasty food, etc.
On the other hand though, we should not forget that the one to blame here is the taxi driver and not the poor girl. I hope he gets the right punishment.
piddick
may you rest in peace!
Tony Hein
Many Myanmar people also sad for Japanese girl. They ashamed on the news. This new is shame for All of Myanmar people because of one of Evil person. I'm sorrow and upset when I read this new. Only I can do is I can pray for the girl. That was nightmare for the girl and Japanese people. I'm one of Myanmar people
tokyokawasaki
And who said it is safe yesterday for gullible Japanese girls/ladies to travel alone. Welcome to the harsh reality of the real world. RIP
realdoll
Go out alone in Myanmar with some stranger on a motorcycle to sight see, all alone. Sounds like something as dumb as my exgirlfriend would do. Don't Japanese have any instinct for survival? Stupid!!
Rose Contemplo
find a safe place when you travel. a place where you find satisfaction in yourself not a place of destruction. a lesson to learn when travelling. To some, take care and enjoy your trip.
southsakai
This is very sad. Japanese folks need to understand that overseas in not all pretty and safe like they might think. I worked in the Tourism industry in Fiji and i can say all Japanese folks are way too super friendly and just go with whatever the locals tell them. They get ripped off, robbed, etc too easily!
I know language is a big problem and since most Japanese people don't speak English, they are easy targets in a foreign country.
This girl should not have been travelling alone like that hitching a ride with a strange taxi driver in a foreign country. Now it is too late, if she had take precautions and played everything safe, she probably would have been alive today.
Just last month, I don't know if it made it to the JT news as I could not find it, A Japanese female student studying English was found dead in Fiji in the mangrove swamp. Of course the Regime over there downplayed the whole thing but it is suspected she was raped and murdered.
Apparently she headed out by herself to a local beach party in the afternoon never to return.
The point is if you put yourself with strangers in strange surroundings, you're asking for trouble.
steve@CPFC
I have said many times before that there are places women should never travel to alone. They should travel in pairs at least and contact their father or husband daily with their location and travle pland s for each day.There are lots of men who see women as easy prey, especially if tourists.
kyawswarlin
That was shame Our Nationality. Law is Law, Nobody on top. Must give him Death Penalty. I am sorry to hear that for Japanese. That's disadventage for tourism. That guy is stupid. He did quilty.
bookowls
Sad that this young woman lost her life to this evil piece of crap.
It is saddening when Japanese women especially, live in a dream world in which they think there is no danger. However, I personally blame the media for misguiding them into thinking that tourist destinations are safe havens.
Ko Phyo
"Sorry" for the girl. The word will never enough.
Sure that the guy is definitely such a devil. Police officers should make sure this kind of thing will not happen again in anyway. Because there are a lot of men trying to do those kind of crime.
As a lesson: nowhere is safe in Myanmar for every young girls go around alone for toth local people and tourist.
heavensix
Personally, I'm sorry for her. Every country has its own rapists and criminals. It could be a bad debts collection for what Japanese did in the war to Burmese sisters and mothers. it was just a bad Karma. Japanese could have done good things in history, But, they did not. And, still Japanese are notorious in Yangon's companies and night clubs for their sex craze to our local girls.There can be some more lessons for them. regards.