crime

Man arrested for kidnapping teenager after discussing suicidal thoughts with her on Twitter

24 Comments

Shizuoka prefectural police have arrested a 46-year-old unemployed man on suspicion of abducting a 17-year-old girl after the two became acquainted on the social media site Twitter where the two had posted messages about having suicidal thoughts.

Police said Hiroaki Ikeda, whose address is unknown, was charged with abducting a minor on May 4, Sankei Shimbun reported. The girl, who lives in Fukui Prefecture, replied to Ikeda’s suicidal post on Twitter and wrote, “I am also thinking of committing suicide, too.” The two then arranged to meet each other in person.

On May 2, Ikeda drove to Fukui City to pick up the teenager and was supposedly heading for Tokyo when he got lost. The next day, he dropped the girl off at JR Okitsu Station in Shizuoka City.

Later that day, Ikeda called Fujinomiya Police Station in Shizuoka Prefecture and said he had abducted a girl whom he knew to be a minor and had kept her in his car.

The girl was placed in protective custody after she was found in Tokyo.

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24 Comments
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More than punishment... reading the whole news... I think both of them need help. Not punishment. It will help no one.

13 ( +13 / -0 )

She went with him voluntarily according to this article. The only evidence of an abduction is this clearly mental guy claiming to have abducted her.

6 ( +12 / -6 )

It may be kidnapping because the victim was 17 and the suspect didn’t have the parents consent.

My point is this article is woefully lacking in information regarding exactly what the suspect did that was illegal.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Does not really sound like kidnapping, more like 2 people with mental problems.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Such kidnappings are from time to time in the news, and my understanding is that if a minor goes with somebody without guardians' consent, it is considered kidnapping. Including cases when the minor claimed she was being abused at home and ran away to somebody's place, that person was arrested

2 ( +2 / -0 )

The definition of kidnapping includes enticing them to go willingly. 

By this definition, Nampa could be considered kidnapping if you convince someone to go home or love hotel with you.

It may be kidnapping because the victim was 17 and the suspect didn’t have the parents consent.

I agree that these are the primary reasons.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

Hokkaidoboy: They do need help, clearly, and I'm glad this did not end with any bodies, but the fact remains he kidnapped someone. He's got to pay for that somehow. If there were a way to do it, it would be good see a long stint of community service involving helping troubled people, instead of kidnapping them. That, in turn, could give him a sense of purpose and self worth. All parties would win. The question is if he is capable.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

This could have gonna really bad, I hope they both treated.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The definition of kidnapping includes enticing them to go willingly. 

Is this Japanese law? Do you have a cite for this?

My understanding is kidnapping has to have the element of interfering with the victim’s freedom without consent or legal authority.

Perhaps there wasn’t legal authority or the suspect held the victim after she expressed a desire to leave him, but that isn’t stated anywhere in the article.

One would not have to drag them kicking and screaming out of their house

I know.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

Yubaru: Would you mind using your advanced Japanese ability to provide us with the definition of kidnapping here? I really want to know the elements of the crime but my kanji reading ability is nowhere near yours and you’ve helped us in the past.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

The next day, he dropped the girl off...

What happened overnight?

Later that day, Ikeda called Fujinomiya Police Station in Shizuoka Prefecture and said he had abducted a girl whom he knew to be a minor...

Why did he do this and then voluntarily turn himself in? He was suicidal due to being unemployed and possibly on the verge of homelessness, and so decided to get himself put in jail?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

wasn't really kidnapping. she willingly went with him, maybe even exploited him. a sad middle aged man wanting to die with someone and she took advantage of him. luckily he had the sense to turn himself in. hopefully he will get the help he needs, and the girl will be punished, named and shamed.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Seems likely the reason it was considered kidnapping g has to do with the fact that she was a minor, willing or not.

I guess you could sorta call it “statutory” kidnapping. I hope they both get the help they need and prison certainly isn’t the answer on this one.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

We don't have a word to accurately describe what is referred to as kidnapping in this article, and in Japanese, they use the same word for what we would consider kidnapping, for this crime as well. This is where the confusion comes in when reading stories like this.

Or to say it another way, if you take a minor somewhere, or into your home, without the parent's consent, that is called kidnapping in Japanese.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

This is what happens when your culture has an unhealthy obsession with teenage girls...as a father this is terrifyying

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Or to say it another way, if you take a minor somewhere, or into your home, without the parent's consent, that is called kidnapping in Japanese.

Thanks for the clarification; it should be noted in articles like this to avoid the confusion.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Wait. The age of consent is below 20, depends on the prefecture. If a minor can be “kidnapped” because they went with someone without the parents consent, it creates a conflict between the two laws. One law has to win.

Anyone able to provide clarification?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The Penal Code say age of consent is 13 years but other laws make it 18 years.

13 at the National level, but each prefecture and municipality can make it older. Some prefectures have it as low as 16. That conflicts with the definition of “kidnapping” Stanger provided.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Some prefectures have it as low as 16.

I believe all prefectures are 18 now.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

If you need to advertise your suicidal intentions on Twitter, it's obvious you are not suicidal, but merely an attention seeker.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

I agree they both need help, and I have to give the guy props for reporting himself. Maybe it was a call for help. But you can't let the fact that he kidnapped Her Go unpunished

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

The definition of kidnapping includes enticing them to go willingly. One would not have to drag them kicking and screaming out of their house

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Silvafan

Guradians have right to claim kidnapping regardless minors are willing to go there or not. Imagine she was 5 years old instead of 17.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

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