Police have launched an investigation after the head of a decapitated crow was found stuck on a tree branch on the grounds of a Kobe school where one of Japan’s most infamous murders occurred in 1997.
According to police, the crow's head was spotted at around 12:40 p.m. on Sunday at the junior high school in the Suma area. A student passing by on his way to club activities spotted it right behind the school’s gym, Sankei Shimbun reported.
Police said the cut marks suggest that the head was slashed by a sharp object. The crow’s body has not been found.
Police have increased patrols near the school, which began the new academic year on Monday.
In 1997, the same school became the base of one of Japan’s most brutal serial murder case, in which a then 14-year old boy, known as “Sakakibara Seito,” killed two other boys and injured three more. The boy left the decapitated head of one of his victims in front of the school gate.
In 2015, the killer, then 32, wrote a controversial autobiography, titled “Zekka” (絶歌), despite objections by the family of one of his victims.
The book provided vivid details about the two murders in 1997 and his time in a medical juvenile reformatory from where he was released on a provisional basis in 2004, before being fully released in January 2005.
No information has been publicly released about where the man now lives or where he works. He is frequently referred to as Boy A by media and in legal documents.
© Japan Today
17 Comments
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Jakko
And this person, right now, is free? Where is justice? Nowhere to be seen.
papigiulio
So much unfairness in this story. Why havent the books been pulled? Why havent the parents demanded the profit of the book from the publisher. Why was his punishment so low since the guy (according to wiki) killed 2 people and attacked 3 girls. Definitely NOT ready for society.
MsDelicious
When I first glanced at the title, I thought it said Cow's Head.
Sick people that kill animals are usually headed towards bad things in life.
thepersoniamnow
Copycat killer. Gotta watch out for these humans who enjoy killing and hurting others.
Mirai Hayashi
Totally cannot understand why this man is allowed to roam free..he should have gotten life in prison
Disillusioned
I remember the original incident well. It was extremely macabre with heads of children stuck on the school fence (in the safety country). However, I doubt if the crow's head has anything to do with it.
oikawa
He's a welder in Saitama according to the tabloids.
FightingViking
I hesitated to make a comment but since I notice I'm not the only one to have read "COW" instead of "CROW" (in my case, it seems my "speciality" is very often "misreading" - especially titles...) I'll have to admit I have difficulty in "forgetting" the Kobe incident, especially since I used to live there... As others have said, this guy should be imprisoned for LIFE...
wowyz
"1997, the same school became the base of one of Japan’s most brutal serial murder case, in which a then 14-year old boy, known as “Sakakibara Seito,” killed two other boys and injured three more. The boy left the decapitated head of one of his victims in front of the school gate.
In 2015, the killer, then 32, “Sakakibara Seito,” wrote a controversial autobiography, titled “Zekka” (絶歌), despite objections by the family of one of his victims."
So they have immortalized the gruesome legend, given JP air time, publication, and infamous notoriety, What do you expect for more iniquitous tantamount inclined to do given the many foramen and concession to adumbrate simulacrum, exploit and skulk
Dan Lewis
I read this article this morning without my glasses and thought a severed COW head had been placed on a tree branch, and thought "how??" and "why can't they find the body!?"
I have my glasses on now. A crow head? Whew!
Anyway, I'm sure the cops will track the old killer down and confirm his whereabouts. At least I hope they do this much at least.
Maria
This is the twentieth anniversary of poor Jun's death. How dreadful for his family to be reminded of it in this way.
Aly Rustom
He should not have been let out. He decapitated 2 children. He is a threat to society.
DaDude
Come on! You guys above have been in Japan long enough to know a 14 year old killer is not going to get life imprisonment.
I know his identity and life are under protection. So every now and then people spread rumors that they know him or his family. The latest someone told me is that he works at a DIY store and lives with his grandparents.
Yardley
@wowyz
Sorry, what?
Dango bong
its a crow, we do not need them anyway