Take our user survey and make your voice heard.
It was on the evening of Feb 7 that the shouting was heard by neighbors in the residential town near the fishing port of Ishinomaki, Miyagi. Misa Nambu, 20, was demanding what her younger sister’s ex-boyfriend was doing at their home. Three days later, the 20-year-old and a visitor were fatally stabbed, and her sister Saya abducted by the same man.
The abductor, Mr A, and Saya Nambu had been in a relationship since 2008. When she found out that she was pregnant last January, they were both 17 years old. Their once happy relationship can be seen in A’s profile in a blog, where he proudly reports his girlfriend’s pregnancy, and talks about how he will protect her. But as reported in the media, A had violent tendencies.
A month after she found out she was pregnant, Saya made her first visit to the Ishinomaki police department for consultation on her boyfriend’s domestic violence. Between then and January this year, she had talked to the police 12 times.
According to Saya’s friend, “Of course she tried to end the relationship because she feared him. But as soon as she’d bring up the subject, he’d kick or punch her. At times she was hit with a dumbbell.” Shortly after such an incident occurred, A told a mutual friend: “I hit Saya. What should I do?” He would apologize several days later and ask for forgiveness, saying that he really loved her. “Despite the bruise on her face, she would forgive him. It was the same thing over and over,” recalls Saya’s friend.
It was a very typical case of domestic violence.
Last Oct 14, the teenager gave birth to a daughter. The young parents both commented in their respective blogs of their joy, referring to each other as "wife" and "husband," even though they were not legally married. Judging by the content written in the blogs, the two did not give the impression of a young couple, but mere adolescents with a baby of their own.
Why did the adults around them let this happen? The Nambu family consisted of the two sisters, their mother and grandmother. The father had been killed in an accident several years ago, while the mother was in poor health. In a sense, there wasn’t much parental supervision or guidance that the teenage girl needed. A, on the other hand, lived in a municipal apartment with his mother and two younger siblings. His parents had divorced, and neighbors say that the young and good-looking mother “had many friends.”
Both without a father figure, perhaps the loneliness had brought the two teenagers together. Saya’s sister Misa, though, felt uneasy about their relationship. Misa’s friend comments, “Early this year, she told A that she wasn’t going to allow him to see her sister any more. Knowing A, he must’ve threatened her in some way. She told me later that she was scared of him.”
The tragic incident happened in the early morning of Feb 10. With a 17-year-old accomplice, A entered the Nambu home, fatally stabbed Misa and a friend who happened to be staying over, injured another man and abducted Saya before fleeing the scene, leaving their 4-month-old baby behind.
Since his arrest, A has refused to say anything to the police about the motive of the crime he committed.
© Japan Today
16 Comments
Login to comment
Molenir
Shouldn't his accomplice also be charged with their murder then? He of course should get the rope. He won't of course, but he should.
chotto
This is an absolute disgrace. Makes my blood boil. A black and blue girl being ignored. SHAME on them. How do they sleep at night?
goddog
What a shame. Sick people.
timeon
"fatally stabbed Misa and a friend who happened to be staying over, injured another man" is this the key to the story? "friend" means a male or female friend? and what another man? I don't think the guy got crazy for nothing, especially since he was helped by a friend, something triggered his frenzy. since he stabbed the both of them, it is possible that it was a jealousy frenzy. there is no word about their jobs, and this may be another key to his violent outbursts
Reiner
It is in the face of such tragedies people truly do feel helpless.
Was this boy a bad person, or was it the situation he was thrown into.
The situation need not only be an instant of one's life, but could be one's life as a whole.
I will say nothing more than this was a tragedy I wish I could have helped prevent.
AirBetweenTeeth
Classy reportage as ever from Shukan Post
Okinawamike
abducted Saya before fleeing the scene, leaving their 4-month-old baby behind.
Since his arrest, A has refused to say anything to the police about the motive of the crime he committed.
So, was the girl found? Kind of a big detail to leave out.
my2sense
pretty shallow piece.
sageb1
This makes me shake my head.
Although the lack of parental guidance may have contributed to this tragedy, it's on the boy's shoulders now for the murder of 2 innocent people.
dammit
timeon at 11:57 AM JST - 17th February
You could be right. If I remember the earlier article correctly it said the friend of Saya was female but the male was described as "a friend". Still, the boy was and is psychotic. I don't as of now blame the cops as I don't know what she said to them or what they did or suggested. Maybe she was one of those women who always backs down rather than let them arrest her man?
http://www.japantoday.com/category/crime/view/18-year-old-held-after-fatally-stabbing-2-women-abducting-ex-girlfriend-ial-excerpts-3
Poor girl now has to live with the responsibility. She knows better than us how many chances she had to not date him, or dump him later on, and because she didn't he ended up murdering her sister and friend. Poor girl, that's a lot to live with. I hope her love for her baby helps her get through.
tmarie
Why should the police be blamed? "Talking" is not the same as complaining and asking for a restraining order. The same happens back home.
DentShop
Ummmm If I "talked" to the police I would expect they would take appropriate action. The Japanese police did not do that and if the law shows they were negligent they should be prosecuted too.
tmarie
You woudl think that but it is not the case. They don't go busting down doors when people ask/talk to them about things. Too much Law and Order, perhaps?
KyokoSmile
LOL @ tmarie These keystone clowns are way too far from being the Law & Order type. They are more like, eeetooo..doushiyoukanaaa...maaiiyaa shouganai ne..type
bentheredonthat
the police sometimes have their hands tied in situations like this. if the girl doesn't file an official complaint or get a restraining order, then the police can only talk to the boy and are powerless to do anything else.
again, we don't seem to know all the facts here so it's hard to blame the police for inaction, if that is the case.
dolphingirl
In a situation like this, I think it's the cops' responsibility to offer her suggestions and also legal advice. If she came to them saying that her boyfriend was abusing her and 'What should I do'?, the police should have explained her options, including getting a restraining order. At 17 years old she probably had no idea what a restraining order was!
This boy sounds deeply disturbed. Is a father figure important in a young boy's life? Definitely, yes. That's why joint custody should be an option for parents who are getting divorced. Kids who feel abandoned or betrayed by a parent are going to end up messed up! This case sounds like something from a psychology textbook. Fatherless boy who sees mother with other men and takes out his rage on other women.
Also, is anyone teaching young people in Japan to use contraception? Is anyone teaching young women how NOT to become victims of abuse and sexual crimes?