crime

Sasebo girl who killed classmate sent to reformatory

54 Comments

A 16-year-old girl who murdered and dismembered a classmate in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture, last July, will be sent to a medical reformatory rather than be tried in a criminal court.

The Nagasaki District Court handed down its ruling on Monday. The presiding judge said the girl, who suffers from an autistic disorder, lacks any sense of morality and that sending her to prison would worsen her mental condition and make rehabilitation more difficult, Sankei Shimbun reported.

The girl was judged to be criminally responsible after a series of psychiatric tests last autumn.

Prosecutors said that because the girl had researched laws surrounding juvenile crimes at the library, and because she had purchased a weapon before the incident, she had meticulously planned the attack and was therefore criminally responsible for the murder of her classmate.

The girl was arrested on suspicion of murdering fellow student Aiwa Matsuo, 15, after police discovered her dismembered body on a bed in the suspect's home in Sasebo on July 26 last year. The teenager confessed to decapitating Matsuo and cutting off her hand, reportedly telling investigators she "wanted to dissect" someone.

The suspect's father was found dead in an apparent suicide on Oct 5 after it was revealed by media that the girl had assaulted him with a baseball bat in March.

After his daughter's arrest, the 53-year-old man released a statement to the media, saying her act "can never be forgiven for any reason or cause."

In the statement, he said the killing deprived the victim of "time to experience the joy and happiness of life. When I think of the shock and sorrow felt by the bereaved family, it breaks my heart. I can't find the words for an apology."

Prosecutors said the girl showed signs of stress after her father's death, but has not shown any remorse for killing her classmate.

The suspect had been living alone in the apartment, where the murder occurred, since April. Her mother died of cancer in 2013 and her father had remarried in January 2014.

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54 Comments
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So basically the tragic deaths of two innocent people could have been avoided if the courts/judges/psychiatrists, psychologists, lawyers, social worker or whomever had enough authority in that case would have done their due diligence and committed the murderer into a mental facility/sent to prison indefinitely from the moment she brutally attacked her father with a bat. But instead decided to leave her fully unsupervised and free to fatally harm other people or herself.

Another issue being that psychiatrists worldwide really need to update themselves on the requisites to diagnose someone as autistic. They've been doing it wrong for decades now. It's only very recently that some got to the very obvious conclusion that autistics are hyper empathic insightful people, and shouldn't be confused with people who have antisocial personality disorder, among other misdiagnoses.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I know it says that she wanted to kill to feel, but still. It has been proven that kids that young can be rehabilitated. Everyone deserves a second chance. The only way to not get it is if your too old like 40 for example. I feel bad for the victim ad the other victim (the young girl who killed two people). Remember the killer is a victim too. It's hard to do, but yall need to sympathize with killers as well as the victims. Regardless of the thing that they have done, everyone is human.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

as someone who had been dianosed with autism. using autism as an excuse to get away with murdering a student is absolutely shameful. it is appauling that just because someone is under the age of 18 they can get away with murder. the reality is, she decapitated this poor girl for her sick enjoyment. she needs to be tried and jailed as an ADULT. reformatory is not going to fix this sick person.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

@it"s me

For the 7 people that down voted me, pls, explain how punishment like the death penalty, etc is a deterrent

Not a personal attack on you but if a monster get the death penalty it will surely deter said monster from killing again. That's how it works as a deterrent.

The part society must truly carefully consider is whether the person is truly a monster or a truly mentally ill individual, in which case care must be taken to keep said person from ever harming other people again by using whatever means and knowledge we as a society have, the cost of which we as a society has to collectively bear.

Unfortunately from purely personal experience. I am sorry to say, some people are beyond rehabilitation.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

What is the point for giving her medication? she is evil, a killer, think about the victim family my gosh where is the Justice !!!!!!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I would like to meet this girl, she seems too true to be real.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

She is obviously not a predator since she made no plans for after the murder and dismemberment of her victim. Why the dismemberment? Was she trying to find out why the girl was dead? Well, we can only hope the right people were punished. Did anyone ever see the movie "FRAILTY'? Maybe something like that is the explanation for all such events happening. We know for sure that something like this will never happen again.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

JAPAN = a country where you can LITERALLY get away with murder

Cool, let's blame the entire the country!

In the country you come from people can get away with murder too if they have money for the right lawyer.

-4 ( +0 / -3 )

she SERIOUSLY MURDERED sumone .... she should SERIOUSLY SPEND time in JAIL!! ( no ?'s asked!! )

1 ( +3 / -2 )

How did she get away with that ?. A heinious murder. She should be cleansed from the earth.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

For the 7 people that down voted me, pls, explain how punishment like the death penalty, etc is a deterrent.

If it was crime would have stopped millemia ago when the form of execution and internment were harsher and !more cruel.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Prosecutors said that because the girl had researched laws surrounding juvenile crimes at the library, and because she had purchased a weapon before the incident, she had meticulously planned the attack and was therefore criminally responsible for the murder of her classmate.

pfff how long until this girl is back in the news and the dock, my money is we will her about her again and then she'll be sent down.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

This judge is disgraceful and should lose his license to practice law....there was absolutely NO thought given to the victim or the victim's family....NONE. JAPAN = a country where you can LITERALLY get away with murder

3 ( +6 / -3 )

She is only 16 and glad court decided to help to rehabilitate her. Who knows? Some years later she may help autistic children as she has experience than none autistic people

-10 ( +1 / -11 )

*" This 16 yr old freak knew exactly what she was doing. Put her away 4-ever & ever. " " She deserves the same fate that she brought upon her victim. Human trash. " " There is "No" hope

@destinystring. . . READ the article clearly. . . Then ramble-on. Look here-

Prosecutors said that because the girl had researched laws surrounding juvenile crimes at the library, and because she had purchased a weapon before the incident, she had meticulously planned the attack and was therefore criminally responsible for the murder of her classmate.

There. She, the 16 yr old freak, KNEW exactly what she was doing. Quit playing the remorse-on-her card. Doesn't fly.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Lot´s of people with mental health care experience on this forum. Looking at many comments I do not wonder that there is a problem with deranged people in Japan. A 16 year old girl is sick/dangerous e.g. I do not know and it does not scare me; it makes me sad. But if somebody wirites:

*" This 16 yr old freak knew exactly what she was doing. Put her away 4-ever & ever. " " She deserves the same fate that she brought upon her victim. Human trash. " " There is "No" hope for her period. "

......................... That scares me a lot !!!

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

No shock here for the great majority of us long-term residents in this country.... Why am I not surprised? Ahh...the never-ending despicable "tradition" of wanting to REHABILITATE monsters that are way beyond rehabilitation. It never ceases to amaze me the great lengths this judicial system go in order to protect these filthy criminals rather than their victims. In Japan, a criminal is pampered from head to toe like having their names withheld, having their trials done in private and even NOT allowing the family become aware of essential details regarding the death of their loved ones. They are hellbent into keeping everything a secret, sweep it under the carpet. They EXPECT the family of these victims to continue their lives without making too much of a fuss. That's how it works in here. It's been going on forever.

She's a juvenile and the principle tenet of juvenile law is to rehabilitate the youth; this is the same here in the United States so it's not a "tradition" only in Japan. Clearly, you seem to not know how the court system works based on your current and past comments (you still haven't answered my questions regarding the point system). Also, you can't say that they are beyond rehabilitation without even starting the process. Do you even have qualifications to determine whether she is hopeless because I sure don't.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Why are we so weak as a society that we give up?

I guess it's because she's a raving nutter I suppose.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Compared to men, girls are seldom violent. I would hate to see a situation where both lives were lost. Keeping her doped up is not the answer. We don't know the whole story. We don't know the killer's history. Surely, there is some intelligent doctor out there that would be willing to both take her in... and fix her. Right now, she can't fully appreciate the nature of her crime. One day, she may be able to atone. Why are we so weak as a society that we give up?

-10 ( +0 / -10 )

And with one unbelievably stupid declaration Japan has been able to turn autism - already something grossly misunderstood and feared - into something now linked with psychosis violence and murder.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

This 16 yr old freak knew exactly what she was doing. Put her away 4-ever & ever.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

This girl is pure evil and there is zero chance at her becoming a normal, every day citizen. She's ruined numerous lives and has shown no remorse. She deserves the same fate that she brought upon her victim. Human trash..

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Prosecutors said that because the girl had researched laws surrounding juvenile crimes at the library, and because she had purchased a weapon before the incident, she had meticulously planned the attack and was therefore criminally responsible for the murder of her classmate.

Malice aforethought = Murder (redruM, reDrUM, RedRUM!!)

telling investigators she “wanted to dissect” someone.

There is "No" hope for her period.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

The presiding judge said the girl, who suffers from an autistic disorder, lacks any sense of morality and that sending her to prison would worsen her mental condition and make rehabilitation more difficult, Sankei Shimbun reported.

Autism in no way means that people lack a sense of morality. Their moral sense is a little different in that they place more emphasis on consequences than intentions - and to me this is entirely logical. The consequence of an action is demonstrable. Intentions are just stories people make up after the fact to justify why the consequences aren't their fault. In other words, regular people tend to swallow the b.s. lie while autistic people tend to hold people accountable for their actions. ... which would make Jesus autistic "By their actions shall they be known".

The level of ignorance in Japan about the mind is simply staggering.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

I disagree, there have been zero cases of someone receiving the death penalty and going on to become a repeat offender.

There have on the other hand been cases of people receiving the death penalty and later found to have not actually been a one-time offender.

-3 ( +1 / -3 )

what used to be known as a psychopath is now renamed ASPD or AntiSocial Personality Disorder and I still have my doubts as to whether the psychological fraternity is capable of treating this disorder when they are not even capable of deciding what causes it or agreeing on what to name it.

I am not even sure that psychology is a valid profession for that matter

1 ( +3 / -2 )

*Punishment as a deterrent doesn't work.

Hence why most countries have abolished the death penalty*

I disagree, there have been zero cases of someone receiving the death penalty and going on to become a repeat offender.

I would prefer that to having this girl back on the streets in a few years.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

While she was 16, she is probably suffering from several disorders that serial and other killers have.

She was 15 when she committed the crime and admitted to the judge that she wanted to kill someone before she turned 16 because she KNEW that at 16 she would be charged as an adult for her crime.

Knowing this the judge still sentenced her to a "medical reformatory"? More the the juvenile psych-ward. of a psychiatric hospital.

Looks like a few of the revenge fantasists are out today demonstrating amply why a democratic justice system has to quarantine sentencing from public opinion. We would still be torturing and finding creative ways to maim and kill if you people prevailed

No not true, they would have burned her at the stake, and be done with her, no medical treatment, (which she obviously needs) which she should have been receiving long long ago.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

She actually suffers from autism spectrum disorder (ASD).

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

Looks like a few of the revenge fantasists are out today demonstrating amply why a democratic justice system has to quarantine sentencing from public opinion. We would still be torturing and finding creative ways to maim and kill if you people prevailed. There are countries made for you, like Saudi Arabia.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Autistic?

Could be. Speaking as one who was diagnosed with "autistic tendencies" (which means in fact I am autistic, but in that "High Functioning" category), I can say very clearly that I do not share a lot of "moral icks". That does not mean I consider myself immoral, but it is true a lot of normal morals are generated theoretically rather than being a visceral (or as visceral a) experience.

Personally, I consider it no bad thing because it gives me a chance to actually decide (usually on utilitarian principles) whether something is moral or ethical to me or not, rather than be swept in a wave of visceral feelings. If you hear something and you feel ICK so bad you can't even see any alternatives, did you really have a choice? Perhaps not.

For all that, lacking that visceral ick does probably reduce the reserve one has against a temptation, since logically generated impulses tend to be weaker than visceral ones. And that may be what happened here.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Autistic? Really? I doubt it. More likely psychotic. Maybe Japan needs to reinvent its psychiatry!

Is the person who diagnosed her as autistic, another of these unqualified charlatans who liked the look of themselves in a white coat, as mentioned in another story today.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

i think we need not judge. she will pay for her own act, she already done the things that will stay with her forever. she deserve some care, although she may not sensibly live life again outside confinement.

-7 ( +1 / -8 )

Autistic? Really? I doubt it. More likely psychotic. Maybe Japan needs to reinvent its psychiatry!

0 ( +3 / -3 )

I think she should be put in a room, and have some deranged bastard do the same thing to her that she did to that poor innocent girl....just tell her a week before and give her the exact time it's gonna happen so she can think about it....right up until the first strike of the hammer.

I've grown weary of these stories...someone murdered for the pleasure of somebody possessed by pure evil. Maybe if we did the ole "eye for an eye", the next satanic-s.o.b wouldn't be so quick to take a life...or better yet, maybe they would just kill themselves and let the innocent live in peace.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

She'll probably be selling her story in the not-too-distant future like the recently "rehabilitated" and quickly-released-back-into-society, still-anonymous psychopathic 14-year-old murderer who decapitated one of his victims a few years ago and placed the severed head of the 11-year-old boy in front of a junior high school in Kobe. I'm sure the parents and family of Aiwa Matsuo will be overjoyed at any future rehabilitation of this girl and being able to read things like those of Seito Sakakibara, the pseudonym of the aforementioned juvenile serial killer: “Let me confess something: I thought the sight (of the severed head) was a beauty, I felt like I was born just to see the ethereal beauty of what was in front of my eyes. I thought I could die." I just hope this guy, now 32, is not living in MY neighborhood.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Why was a 15 year old autistic girl living alone in the first place?

She was angry at her father for remarrying, the doctor said the locus of her anger was him, and they thought separating them would be best. She hit him with a bat while he slept, broke his jaw, several teeth and a shoulder or arm if I remember correctly.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

A brain scan will reveal if she is psychotic or not. If she is, no therapy will help.

Many people are psychotic, but they are usually agressive, and will walk over you to get something, but do not harm people or animals.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Why was a 15 year old autistic girl living alone in the first place?

I guess that after splitting her old man's face in three with a baseball bat, there was a dearth of obliging room mates.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Why was a 15 year old autistic girl living alone in the first place?

5 ( +10 / -5 )

Japan doesn't do "rehabilitation". They will keep her doped up on very old drugs, and then release her in a few years.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Good 'ol "Safety Japan ".

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

How can such a person make any positive contribution to Japanese society, whatsoever? Execute her and save everyone else's time, energy, resources, and possibly lives.

What, kinda like an Aktion Tiergartenstrasse 4 program of enforced euthanasia of "degenerates" and those "unworthy of life"? Perhaps we can find someone to make judgements on who makes a positive contribution and who is destined for the chop.

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

Well this is just wonderful in Japan. Almost makes you want to become Japanese. In America, they try our 12 year olds as adults.

So when is she going to be released?

-7 ( +2 / -8 )

Shouldn't there be some kind of deterrent in the punishment of these crimes? Helping someone "get better" is what a hospital does, not what the courts who find someone guilty of murder should be responsible for.

Listen: This particular girl is a full-bore loony. A sadistic psychopath for whom empathy and reason are foreign concepts. You could re-employ the Catherine wheel and brazen bull for convicted murderers outside Tokyo station and it still wouldn't deter her.

What I want to know, as a member of the public, is that this girl will never be free to roam the streets again while she poses a danger. If that means locking her up for the rest of her natural life, so be it.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Punishment as a deterrent doesn't work.

Hence why most countries have abolished the death penalty, reform and reeducation works on most cases. For sure there are cases that will have to be confined for their lifetime in a menta! Or similar facilities.

Showing young teens movies like Christians F and later interviews with her as adults work well. Spending a few Friday nights helping at an ER and seeing the results if drnkenszzy, drunk driving and pub fights also sobers many up.

There are many more options available than prison or execution.

-8 ( +5 / -12 )

She is evil and no hope to reform , she killed and and said she wanted to dissect some person with her full mind .. !!! Anyway live is very cheap in here.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Shouldn't there be some kind of deterrent in the punishment of these crimes? Helping someone "get better" is what a hospital does, not what the courts who find someone guilty of murder should be responsible for. My two yen.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

The presiding judge said the girl, who suffers from an autistic disorder, lacks any sense of morality

How can such a person make any positive contribution to Japanese society, whatsoever? Execute her and save everyone else's time, energy, resources, and possibly lives.

The suspect had been living alone in the apartment, where the murder occurred, since April. Her mother died of cancer >in 2013 and her father had remarried in January 2014.

Why would you pay to let your 16-year-old autistic daughter live in an apartment alone?!

-1 ( +6 / -7 )

Japanese cartoons are full of such psycho, not mentioned jp horror style where high-school students kill for fun

1 ( +6 / -5 )

I don"t think someone like this can be rehabilitated and should be locked in a medical facility orison ward FOREVER.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

While she was 16, she is probably suffering from several disorders that serial and other killers have. Having a craving to kill and enjoying seeing suffering are dangerous traits, and although in theory I would like anyone to be reformed, she has also destroyed lives. She horrifically butchered another teenager. Her actions made her father kill himself out of grief and guilt. Does she deserve to get better and get out and get to live life? If I had known any of her victims I would have a hard time with that.

10 ( +11 / -2 )

this is just shocking. is there any real hope of rehabilitating this girl? she is evil personified and deserves to be locked up for a long time. it's called justice.

-1 ( +9 / -10 )

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