19-year-old arrested for attacking girl; hints at involvement in fatal arson

19 yrs old it's not youth anymore. Below 18 yes, that's the youth youngster

FYI, the parents were murdered before the house was set on fire, just as I suspected.

"Police: Victims in arson attack died from stab wounds"

https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14461480

He is 18, so will get away with a slap on the wrist.

Apparently the daughters escaped from the second storey window. But one of them (probably the uninjured one) was in a relationship with the suspect so who knows if what they say is credible.

Youth until the age of 65.

Physical age and mental age need a chart and real reasons to adjust them accordingly.

"It's odd that two conscious adults in their 50's couldn't escape from the first floor before being consumed by fire and/or smoke."

Odd? Nothing is odd about their deaths. Conscious? They were sleeping, as many people are wont to do at three o'clock in the morning.

Then who was the murderer arguing with? The original article about the fire, which for some reason is no longer available, said both sisters were upstairs, and the younger sister heard the parents arguing with someone, and came downstairs where she was attacked.

That is why I assumed they were conscious. Of course, it's understandable if they were sleeping.

"It's odd that two conscious adults in their 50's couldn't escape from the first floor before being consumed by fire and/or smoke."

Odd? Nothing is odd about their deaths. Conscious? They were sleeping, as many people are wont to do at three o'clock in the morning. Is it odd to be asleep at 03:00? Judging by the height of the flames at more than 20 metres, the fire accelerated extremely quickly and the wooden structure was completely involved within seconds...there was no escape -- they died in their beds.

Hang in there, guy (I mean "youth"). You're next.

Touching the side of a hot stove or part of a car engine, the pain from that burn is agony, as for being trapped in a house thats on fire is unimaginable, god knows the pain and torcher they suffered.

Michael MachidaToday 08:26 am JST

He is a youth. If you have lived in Japan as long as I have, you would agree they are still youths.

He may be young but he is not a youth. Old enough to do this kind of crime then old enough to do some real hard time.

Only in Japan is a a 19yo man considered a minor

No not really, only here.

So what if he is a "youth. " 19 is old enough to know right from wrong.

He should head for the gallows immediately after a fair trial.

If innocent unborn babies can be aborted as a choice, there is no moral or logical reason why murderous predators cannot be systematically executed as well.

Tried as a minor doesn't equate to case dismissed or a failure to obtain justice. Lotsa honky rednecks on this site.

As for the incident: At around 3:45 a.m. on Oct. 12, police received a call saying that a house in Kofu had been burglarized, and when officers from the Minami-Kofu Police Station rushed to the scene, they found that a fire had broken out in the two-story wooden house. The woman who was assaulted was sleeping downstairs.

@deepk

yes very confusing indeed

but most likely the quarrel was with the elder sister

 The younger sister said she came downstairs at around 3:30 a.m. after hearing a quarrel and saw a strange man in the dim light.

and after the younger sister came downstairs she was assaulted by this 19yr devil and that gave the elder sister a chance to call the police...

The younger sister said she came downstairs at around 3:30 a.m. after hearing a quarrel and saw a strange man in the dim light.

Parents were sleeping.

Elder sister called the police

Who was the boy quarreling with ?

There has to be more to this story as the details just don't add up.

No, some here are right, they are still like minors in comparison to elsewhere. You could raise that age limit even to 24 or 26 , and it still would fit in most cases. Watch the entrance of Disneyland , sales of anime figures or applauding to cute yurukara and a lot more, if you don’t believe it and need a clue.

I hope they do a thorough post-mortem on the parents. It's odd that two conscious adults in their 50's couldn't escape from the first floor before being consumed by fire and/or smoke.

Fire is often used by criminals in an attempt to cover up murders.

This 19 year old is neither a "youth" nor a "minor" despite whatever the silly Japanese laws say. At this age, he should be able to tell right from wrong. Assaulting someone? Wrong. Committing arson? Wrong. Conclusion - throw the book at him and charge him as an adult.

It's no wonder so many university students and fresh graduates here remain so immature and unfit to start adulting and stand on their own two feet. Their parents pamper them by letting them stay at home well into their adult years; society pampers them by perpetuating this ridiculous notion among other things, and even the government pampers them by having the official adult age be at 20. Seriously, GROW UP.

Pyromania seems particularly common around that age range from many studies I have read. Hopefully after he is detained he can get the help he needs to become productive, 19 is so young still. It is a bit disturbing to me so many people are always so quick to jump to the death penalty here.

I don't hold my breath anyway, Japan doesn't have the best track record at rehabilitating prisoners, the buck seems to stop at punishment and not figuring out the actual problems.

He is a youth and a minor because the stupid system said so. Wait a minute, they may be right because he is in fact a devil, not human.

19 years old is NOT a minor......although Japanese 19 year olds are about the mental age of 14 year olds in the real world ;)

Only in Japan is a a 19yo man considered a minor.

No, not only in Japan. Also, there's that whole problem with the science behind why they are considered minors, but that one doesn't bother the non-scientific.

Only in Japan is a a 19yo man considered a minor. They don't even check ID's for alcohol. Just a box on the screen asking if you're 20 or older. The only option is yes

From my experience, 25 and under should be called youth in Japan.

When it comes to violent attacks like rape and murder (among other crimes) public safety should trump these types of laws that protect the identity of minors. Especially when we are talking about someone who is 19.

Maybe I missed something. So the two daughters escaped and the parents end up dying inside the house???

A monster NOT a youth!!

He is a youth. If you have lived in Japan as long as I have, you would agree they are still youths.

Isn’t it time the government did something other than have their picture taken?

weak, and denial; when it comes to their kind,...ness

theres a story about a nutcase killing innocent people or kids everyday recently. Isn’t it time the government did something other than have their picture taken?

Hang the violent worthless animal.

Rest in Peace to the poor victims. Horrifying deaths.

charge him as an adult. He knew what he was doing

Agreed, at 19 not a youth in most countries but obviously is in Japan. It does seem irrational to most of us but whether Japan will change is debatable.

Sounds like there are some very serious underlying mental issues, perhaps he should be locked away in a mental institution for the rest of his life.

He’s no “youth”. Come on, time to challenge the J laws and set a precedent by trying and convicting this 19yo murderer as an adult.

Perhaps the headline is backwards today and we will learn more as the investigation unfolds?. - The girl came upon this arsonist in the night. He assaulted her as she attempted to flee. (He didn’t go the the house just to punch her in the back of the head.) That “oil” smell may have been an accelerant. - Dig DEEPER Kyodo “journalists” for the real story from the J.P.D.

You lost me at 19 year old 'youth'.