Ichiben comments

Don't people here realise that the borders have been closed all but 3 weeks of the entire year to non-residents?

The borders ARE closed.

It's inevitably being brought in by residents- believe it or not.

Brainiac:

I don't know where some of you got the idea that the killer used Hirata's cell phone to text a message to her friend that she and Hoshino were going to Kyoto.>

On various news sites, such as Senkei - http://www.sankei.com/west/news/150822/wst1508220046-n1.html.

　捜査本部によると、平田さんと星野さんは、１３日午前５時すぎに山田容疑者に連れ去られた可能性が高い。これ以降の平田さんのＬＩＮＥのメッセージは、山田容疑者がなりすましたか、平田さんに指示してやり取りさせた可能性もあり、捜査本部が調べている。<

Security footage around the station shows a grey van very similar to that was found in the distribution company carpark in Takatsuki, pull up around 5:10 am, which was the last time that both children were seen in the same area.

WilliB

Was he? When did you hear that? The news I watched sad that someone parked his bike in that expensive paid bike parking rack, but there was no camera footage. The assumption that the murdered did that. The reason the knew the time is that the parking system registered it.>

Yeah, the last part of this article here states it: "Hoshino was seen once more, placing his bicycle in a paid parking spot outside the station at around 3 p.m. on the afternoon of Aug 13, and that is the last time he was seen. Hirata’s bike was found nearby."

I agree, it's much more likely that the murderer parked it there. Maybe it's an error. But there's still a 12-hour time lapse between the kidnapping and time of deaths that is unexplained, not to mention what he did during the week between disposing of their bodies individually.

It seems likely that the story of running away to Kyoto was fabricated and sent by the killer, not by Hinata-san. However, if so, then why later that day was Hoshino-san seen at 3pm parking his bike outside the station? It's strange the killer would wait one week to dispose of Hoshino-san's body as well. Still very puzzling...and extremely sad.

My heart goes out to these two innocent children and their families and friends, this is just sickening and unforgivable. Rest in peace Hinata and Hoshino.