Hawker's family to visit Japan on 2nd anniversary of her murder

He went bak to outer space where he came from.

I bet there will be some callous comments about 'Keystone cops' on this thread made by people from countries whose police forces also let crims get the slip.

when news stories about keystone cops in other countries come up I hope people criticise them. as for this case in Japan on a Japan new site I think it far from callous to criticise the idiotic police who bungled this

I bet there will be some callous comments about 'Keystone cops' on this thread made by people from countries whose police forces also let crims get the slip.

Anytime 9 police officers fail to arrest a barefoot suspect they have come in face to face contact with I'd consider them 'Keystone Cops', regardless of country.

The only report that the "police joke force" can give is "we are still pretending to do something but don't really care a toss about a gaijin." What a bloody joke this is!! Catch the guy, follow his family, check their bank accounts. sorry that's too complex for the joke police.

Don't care a toss?

Chiba police have conducted door-to-door investigations at about 7,000 sites including restaurants and adult-entertainment areas in the forests of neon in Tokyo and its vicinity in the Kanto region.

They have also sent investigators to 20 prefectures, from Fukushima to Nagasaki, in an effort to track Ichihashi down. More than 44,000 investigators have been involved and more than 3,300 reports have been gathered.

Those were supposed to both be in quotes...

Himajin- wow those numbers are impressive. So surely some progress, yes? Where are we on that, cardboard cutouts? Again, impressive.

The police have explained in their defense that they were investigating a missing person at that point and did not expect Ichihashi to get aggressive.

This could only happen in Japan. I've never known police to be passive anywhere I've been. I guess they are lucky he didn't have a shotgun too although, he clearly didn't need one. This little scumbag should not have got away. He should have been in jail for a year awaiting execution. This little scumbag is probably hiding out with the other thugs in Saitama.

Don't pin the destination only on Saitama. What's shocking is how such an odd looking, tall (for Japanese standards), barefoot person obviously looking for refuge could not have been seen by literally 100's of people on his way out to where he is now. I think its not only the J-cops, but the J-people who are in cohoots with the no-ask, no-tell policy of living. It seems that only convenient store employees go after the bad guys, and get knifed in return. Would that a guy like this could be caught immediately through being caught. With so much time passed its not looking good. But remember, Miura san was freed for over 15 years before meeting his doom, so never give up Hawker family members.

Yes I remember this story. Are JT trying to tell us that cops still didn't find the killer? A lot of effort from cops and easting of paper; JT wrote; More than 44,000 investigators have been involved and more than 3,300 reports... and all for nothing. Now that officer in charge was replaced, how long will take to read 3,300 reports? 'WELL FIRST OF APRIL WILL BE SOON, PERHAPS WE WILL HEAR SOME GOOD NEWS.' ‘TWO YEARS HAS PASSED AND THE KILLER IS STILL WALKING AROUND FREE.’ 'Mind you I smell something under the carpet.'

In this society, it's very, very hard to imagine someone suspected of a well publicized murder getting along without any support. Someone is supporting him, actively or passively, or both. If it's organized crime, the police should try putting unbearable heat on them, with the clear message that the status quo won't return until the suspect is in custody. "If you don't have him, find him," should be the message. This type of tactic usually produces results. Interrupt all revenue streams that you normally don't pay much attention to. Squeeze them. They won't like it, and the guy will turn up -- dead or alive.

I saw a guy matching Ishihashis height and physique, stride rapidly through a local station in Nara with a full rimmed hat on, sunglasses at night and a towel wrapped around his face. He had an immensely dark aura about him. He was dressed like an old man but his movement was of a young man. Immediately I though "Ishihashi". I was born with a keen instinct. There was definitely something about this guy....kinda reminded me of Darkman. I wanted to follow him but I had my kid with me. I was wondering if it would be worth while heading down to the Koban to report it even though it was a month ago.

If Japanese were fingerprinted at the int`l airports it would be more chance to get him, but sorry, they are not criminals like us, so it cannot be done, otherwise LDP would lose votes towards next family member in diet

He had an immensely dark aura about him

hahahaha ok obi wan, sit down and have a cup of tea

police officers recently conducted intensive searches.

They asked at a members-only gay bar whether anyone had seen Ichihashi

This is a joke, right ? An intensive police search involves going to memebers-only gay bars and asking whether anyone had seen Ichihashi ? I must have drunk more than I thought today and I am just misreading this.

The biggest recent breakthrough was the revelation that the authorities in the Philippines had evidence that someone in Ichihashi's name had entered the Philippines. However the information that they provided to the Japanese police was not followed up. Proof that somebody in authority is covering this up and protecting him.

The police have explained in their defense that they were investigating a missing person at that point and did not expect Ichihashi to get aggressive.

so sent 9 officers just to ask if they could come in and talk?

The National Police Agency has offered a reward of 1 million yen for information leading to the arrest of Ichihashi.

that is not a lot of money or incentive.

The National Police Agency has offered a reward of 1 million yen for information leading to the arrest of Ichihashi.

5,000 quid for the arrest of a suspected murderer ? Like I said, Ichihashi is being protected by someone in authority.

10,000 dollars? Come on, offer a better reward please.

He is more than likely in girls clothes, he is really tall, like 180cms, I would love to get a group of people together and sweep Shinjuku quietly over a few weekends looking for him, rest assured he wouldn't be looking like much when handed over the to the police.

Despite whatever effort they are making, J-cops have absolutely ZERO clue OR EXPERIENCE of how to catch a guy that doesn't want to be caught. If criminals in this country ever realize this..

Where's John Walsh when you need him?

"If Japanese were fingerprinted at the int`l airports it would be more chance to get him, but sorry, they are not criminals like us, so it cannot be done, otherwise LDP would lose votes towards next family member in diet" doh there are depends on the country entering not the nationality

Unfortunately, the government has no real will to catch this grub, he merely killed a foreigner. 44,000 "investigations"...ahh, yeah, sure. So, there is no outrage out there amongst the Japanese voters, and thus no lost votes due to the incompetence at all levels. The whole thing is just treated as an interesting soap opera/drama, CSI, call it what you will, to the majority of locals. Many of my ex-students brought up the whole issue in this very manner, and it disgusted me.

As for the maggot impersonating a woman, yeah right, get serious, he is taller than almost all Japanese men, there is NO WAY he could pull that off without raising suspicion. It's just an excuse to cover for their sheer incompetence. This investigation has been botched from the very moment 9 fat cops failed to run down a shoeless fugitive.

I hope Lindsay-Ann's parents find some peace in the end.

I would love to get a group of people together and sweep Shinjuku quietly over a few weekends looking for him, rest assured he wouldn't be looking like much when handed over the to the police.

back to the real world Bronson

They asked at a members-only gay bar whether anyone had seen Ichihashi and the owner said, ‘‘I heard rumors that he is staying at (a gay bar in) Shinjuku Ward.’’

So the owner only told police when they asked?

That`s the spirit...

This is the best they can do? How can nine police officers let a bare-footed suspect run away from them? These cops seem to me to be a joke. I wonder what kind of training these cops go through. Dont they have to stay in shape? The guy ran completey bare-footed and still managed to get away. So, what your telling me is that none of the nine police officers could catch up with him? Mark McCracken- I completely agree with you.

in 1 year: "He is believed to have committed suicide in a forest. Case closed."

[i]"They are also scheduled to have a meeting with the group Sora no Kai, that is campaigning for an end to the statute of limitations for murder cases."[/i]

Not applicable if perp isn't in Japan...wink wink, nudge nudge.

The J-police are reduced to doing meaningless PR gestures -- like putting live-sized cutouts in train stations -- in order to save some face on this debacle. That is insulting to the Hawkers and to the intelligence of the average J-citizen. First off, they would not be even doing it if the Hawkers were not coming, since they obviously don't want the press making a big deal about this. Second, the photo they are using is two years-old. Does anyone with even 1/2 a brain believe he still looks remotely like this? Typical Japan -- meaningless gestures, nothing more.

This really bugs me, so I will post it again.

Here is the wikipedia article about the case in English: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_Lindsay_Hawker

Now here it is in Japanese: http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%83%AA%E3%83%B3%E3%82%BC%E3%82%A4%E3%83%BB%E3%82%A2%E3%83%B3%E3%83%BB%E3%83%9B%E3%83%BC%E3%82%AB%E3%83%BC%E3%81%95%E3%82%93%E6%AE%BA%E5%AE%B3%E4%BA%8B%E4%BB%B6

If you can read Japanese, do you notice anything missing? The article never once names the suspect. It just says "the suspect."

indeed, the police continue their columbo-lite posturing in order to save face (which probably includes diplomatic relations with britain) but secretly praying that the hawkers will give up; as they surely must do eventually for peace of mind.

quite a big contrast to the recent case of the american guy who was sent down for murdering his japanese girlfriend (sorry can't find a link on this one)

Why is this same article published again? 'NOTHING NEW IN JAPAN TODAY?'

Just spotted this:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1582902/Lindsay-Hawker-suspects-father-in-suicide.html

Family and friends of Lindsay Ann Hawker have marked the first anniversary of her death in Tokyo amid reports that the father of the only suspect had committed suicide.Police refused to confirm or deny that Masayoshi Ichihashi, a wealthy doctor and the father of Tatsuya Ichihashi, 29, had killed himself last September. Japan's strict privacy laws make it difficult to confirm that he had committed suicide. However, the death was reported to The Daily Telegraph by a local journalist.

Mmmmm killed himself last September but leaked to the media when the Hawker family return to Japan,I smell a rat,Not even confirmed WTF !

A million yen??? This investigation must have already cost more than 100 million yen. Oh boy. RIP Lindsay.

No new comments. Is this the end of the interest? It doesn't sound good for the Hawkers. Last night I was talking about this to a group of 3 natives and they seemed uniformed about the issue. "But they didn't yet know he was guilty when (NINE) of the J-stones showed up at the door." Oh, really? I replied. But don't you think they could have divided up the group for 2 at the entrance, two at the elevator, 1 at the escape hatch-route, one waiting in squad car (if one was present, and if not, they should have been ready to chase on foot" and still have three left to knock on the door.

Isthistheend, I agree completely. Imagine if a Japanese student had been killed (Ichihashi, say) and the main suspect was his English teacher. Do you think the cops would have been "expecting the suspect to get agressive"?

Yeah, thought so.

Moonbeams, the latest update of Wiki (as of the time of this post) does contain Ichihashi's name as a suspect. Not nearly as prominently as in the English version, but it's there.

The moronic police can't even catch this murderer and his piece of string, and he was bare footed, buffoons i tell you, buffoons!!!

ThonTaddeo,

Oh, I missed it. And it was just two days before I posted it!

2009年3月19日、千葉県警は死体遺棄容疑の市橋達也容疑者の肉声をインターネット上に公開した[6]。また、肉声が再生できる市橋達也容疑者の等身大パネルを行徳署へ自主的に設置した[7]。

Intensive search, yeaah right. Did they check his parents home or just from the front door? "is Tatsuya here", "no" "thank you for your help citizen".

Yes, one million yen is a joke. It would have cost quite a bit just to get those ridiculous (but effective?!) cardboard cutouts made. I saw some of those on the Japan vs Korea baseball news...

Someone wanting to escape the cops will do their damndest, shoes or not. And when they came to see him, they hadn't found the body yet ... He knew what he was in for, but they weren't to know just what had gone down.

despite this guy being a complete lunatic, he's actually only a threat to western girls. so that must be why he's classified as low priority.

I believe the perp has left the country. After all, with such "tough 'investigation'" that has been carried out by the police, it should be easy as pie for him to have gotten away.

i'm a bit confused by the 2-chome link. is the implication that he's gay? or just that it's a good place to hide regardless?