Man dies after beating in Fukushima Park

Jeeze, what a painful way to go.

"Police say that 20 of the victim’s ribs were broken in what appears to have been a violent attack."

Yeh- I guess so. Sounds like a baseball bat or metal pipe was used ! Frightening- I know the parks around Koriyama very well- spent years living in Fukushima prefecture.

damn, i didnt even know we had 20 ribs...

tooo personal, definitly knew his attacker.....no head injuries???

According to Japanese sources, yes there were head and face injuries.

We have 24 ribs apparently. Some Japanese sources say that more than 20 of his ribs were broken, wereas at least one say that his ribs were broken in at least 20 places (but perhaps a lesser number of ribs).

Sounds like more than one person kicking him while he was on the ground.

According to Kahoku news, the victim had dealings (kakawari) with a "violent group" (i.e. the Japanese mafia) and are asking mafiosi about the case.

These stories are all the same.... late night beating in a park or on the street for gambling or whatever debts to loansharks....Yikidy-Yak and they dont come back. I saw this all the time in Shinjuku and Roppongi when I was younger (seen at least half dozen beat down guys in 13 years who probably died or were made handicap). What actually kills them is the bleeding to death where no one is around and moaning into the night. Late night beatings have definitely spiked up a bit in the past year. Baseball bats can be found in any Yakuza trunk but the traditional way is bamboo sticks and the shins (legs), after awhile its the body. Unless it was his wife and the obasan hit squad.

Guys with gambling problems get no sympathy eh?

If this was some guy arrested for improper relations with a minor, there's always a few pervs trying to defend him. Same thing with drug mules/addicts.

Japan is starting to become a very dangerous place to live. The people who did this should be fined 100 million yen and thrown into jail for a very long time.

Japan is starting to become a very dangerous place to live

LOL. Only if you have debts to the yaks. Japan is still very safety for me.

We should have a new tv show, where yakuza get the death penalty on live Japanese tv!

it appears that Hitomi became embroiled in some kind of trouble

Wow! Amazing powers of deduction. I guess it is possible for someone to self-inflict 20 broken ribs. :O

Japan is starting to become a very dangerous place to live.

Well, there certainly are more stories about these kinds of horrible things in the paper, but the stats show almost all crime is from family, or somebody that you know. so unless you really get somebody angry (like the yaks), you're still pretty safe in safety Japan.

excellent spot on comment gaijinfo.

jason6 at 12:21 PM JST - 19th August Guys with gambling problems get no sympathy eh? If this was some guy arrested for improper relations with a minor, there's always a few pervs trying to defend him. Same thing with drug mules/addicts.

There's no mention in the article that this guy had a gambling problem, but even if he did then he certainly didn't deserve this, hell, if he defaulted on his home loan or some other debt the worst he could expect is the repo men to come around. All it says is that he got into some trouble, maybe it was a drunken fight at a bar that got out of hand, no-one knows.

Chances are it wasn't even the Yakuza. Certainly the few people I've met who I've strongly suspected of being Yakuza would fit more into the "slightly sleazy industrialist" category than the "hardened killer" category. The Yakuza seem to be more interested in running long-term shady businesses that net them billions of yen than beating up people for the 1000yen in their back pocket. Killing someone so publically just doesn't make sense, it's too much heat for too little return, and the Yakuza have too much to lose.

sorry Frungy- they are strapped for cash.

funny.... sounds like another suicide to me.......

Yea... Where are the cops now...?

Do you think for a split second, that they are going to find out who-ever did this...?

Not a fricken chance, unless they turn themselves in, it will be one of the hundreds of violent cases, that goes unsolved...

Is it really worth expending two of three police stations, to arrest 7 clerks, who were told put some labels on eels?

These are the kinds of cases that NEED to be solved, NOT harassing Obasan's and Salary-men on bicycles...

But you see, they've never had to solve any cases that require any critical thinking, so it's a vicious circle, and it will continue...

Yes, it's Yakuza, or you would have read about a group of 5 bozozoku's turning themselves in, or some construction guy, blaming it on too much to drink..

Crime rate seems to be rising here. Why will you beat a man so badly. If he has done something wrong to you, then law is meant to help you get justice. Weren't any sort of cameras installed near the park from where assailants can be identified.