Japanese police struggle to find Lindsay's killer

Richard Lloyd Parry
Ichikawa

Four days after the murder of Lindsay Hawker, the British teacher found strangled in a Tokyo suburb, Japanese police raided a suburban sex motel yesterday in a vain search for the Japanese man suspected of killing her.

A team of twenty officers took up positions around the Hotel Chateau, a “love hotel” in Nishi-Funabashi, east of Tokyo, where rooms are rented to couples by the hour. They were following up a reported sighting of Tatsuya Ichihashi, a 28-year old doctor’s son in whose home Lindsay’s body was found buried in an earth-filled bath. After a 45 minutes search of the premises, broadcast on Japanese television, they emerged frustrated, seemingly no closer to finding their quarry than when he escaped from under their noses on Monday night.

A few hours earlier, Lindsay’s father, Bill Hawker, viewed his daughter’s body for the first time, and formally took possession of her body after the conclusion of the official autopsy. This concluded that she suffered death after pressure on her neck which broke the cartilage.

Lindsay’s body was found by police in Mr Ichihashi’s apartment in Ichikawa, east of Tokyo, soon after he broke away from police officers questioning him about her disappearance the day before. He escaped from a team of nine policemen, barefoot, and despite a nationwide campaign, not a sign of him has been seen since.

He approached Lindsay at a railway station as she was travelling home late at night last week, and followed her home, eventually persuading her to give him a private English lesson at his apartment last Sunday. On Momday night police found her body. Her hands and ankles had been tied with plastic cord used to bind plants, and she was buried in horticultural soil.

Egg-sized bruises on the left side of her face appear to have been inflicted with a fist, while lesser marks on her upper body were the result of collision with furniture, probably during a struggle, police said. But they refused to confirm or deny whether there were signs of sexual assault.

Detectives at Gyotoku police Station in the city of Ichikawa, where the 100 strong investigation team is based, made no public announcement of new leads, despite the widespread coverage of the case, and repeated broadcasting of Mr Ichihashi’s face on Japanese television.

Linday’s Australian and Canadian flat mates reported her missing on Monday afternoon and the police called on Mr Ichihashi that night after finding his name and telephone number on a piece of paper in her apartment. After he had fled as they were questioning him, they found a backpack containing two days’ underwear and the suspect’s shoes.

His socks had been cast aside a few hundred metres from his home. Police dogs lost his scent soon after, suggesting that he had escaped in a car or on a motorbike. Yesterday detectives removed from Mr Ichihashi’s apartment building a shopping trolley in which he is believed to have transported the bags of horticultural soil in which Lindsay was buried.

Students at the Nova language school in the Tokyo suburb of Koiwa, where Lindsay was a teacher, expressed shock at the news. “I called her Lindsay-san and she called me by my name,” said a 6-year old girl named Sae, who took part in a children’s class taught by Ms Hawker. “I liked her very much. The lessons were very interesting and she was always laughing.”

Comments

[taka]

On earth what are the manners that seem to criticize the whole British Japan though there is not it by a national crime such as the war crimes that Japan violated?
Are you stupid?

[Eleanor Goldsmith]

Is it really entirely appropriate to be interviewing a small child in a case like this?

[Copacabana]

Obviously nothing can justify murder and my thoughts go out to Lindsay's family and friends.

But what on earth was she doing going to the flat of a man she didn't know, who had followed her home no less?

On a different note, I have little faith in the seriousness and determination of the Japanese police in following up on this kind of crime -- while I was living in Japan, an intruder broke into my flat while I was sleeping, but the policeman who came to investigate my complaint practically laughed in my face and said I must have dreamt it.

Let's just hope that the international media attention in this case puts the police in the spotlight and changes their attitude.

[Kobe Kid]

Richard, some TV reports have claimed that up to nine policeman went to the suspect's apartment and yet he escaped. Can you confirm or deny these reports?

[Yes, the police told a press conference which I attended on Tuesday that nine officers were at the scene, although not all of them were standing in front of the door when Mr Ichihashi escaped. RLP]

[Andrew Milner]

So Chiba's finest raided a "love hotel". That must have been fun, especially if they came across a close family member.

[Eleanor Goldsmith]

Copacabana, as far as teaching guys in their own home is concerned, I know I did it when I was a student in Japan when I was 19 and not the savviest person on the planet. Mind you, I didn't think the gentleman in question might have a thing about me. Fortunately, he didn't.

It's easy to be wise in hindsight. You don't stop thinking you're invincible until well into your 20s, in my experience. I remember talking to an old university classmate/partner-in-crime of mine around the time of Lucie Blackman disappeared, and we both said "There but for the grace of God....", recalling our various adventures as students in Kumamoto.

I'm sure many other foreign women in Japan have had their fair share of unwanted attention from slightly creepy guys and can attest to the fact that they are mostly harmless. Lindsay was just unlucky that the weirdo who latched onto her was of the murderous variety. Fortunately, such creeps are comparatively thin on the ground in Japan. That's no comfort for Lindsay's friends and family, obviously, but it does mean that there's no need to get hysterical about this case. The fact that it's so shocking should reassure us that it's an unusual situation (well, apart from the police incompetence - 9 on 1 should be such good odds as to be a dead cert. Although I'm now leaning back towards giving them the benefit of the doubt in light of RLP's addendum to Kobe Kid's post).

[sally brown]

DITTO''

Obviously nothing can justify murder and my thoughts go out to Lindsay's family and friends.

But what on earth was she doing going to the flat of a man she didn't know, who had followed her home no less?

[Nicodraxus]

Well as far as we can tell, she was planning to teach an English lesson. That's why she was there.

She should hardly be to blame. The fact that anyone would even ask the question "Why was she there?" suggests that we should somehow go through our lives expecting to be murdered by strangers.

Take all the precautions you feel necessary, but never blame the victims. No one is asking for it.

[Eleanor Goldsmith]

Well said, Nicodraxus!
The latest news on Japan Today suggests that she didn't actually teach the lesson in his home, but at a family restaurant. It seems as though he lured her to his place on a pretext (probably saying that he didn't have enough cash on him to pay her).

[KHAY]

What concerns me is that it keeps being stated 'against school rules' that she gave a lesson.
No company can insist you can't have a part time job. Most individuals I came across at my time at NOVA had part time jobs of some sort outside work, whether that be english lessons, or a job in a bar or other work including hostessing. It was common practice and many (ironically) supervisors also worked part time jobs. Their rule was to stop teachers pinching their clients, or to stop teachers dating students. Lindsay made an error of character judgement, however it seems she was just like anyone else in wanting a part time job.

On the flipside of that an ex-colleague commented to me recently on various comments on these blogs about westerners and dress, and the attention paid to them. She felt that she has only been able to start showing a bit of cleavage - 3 years after leaving Japan. If there are as many creepies in Japan as anywhere - then why do foreign women have to dress differently?

[kristy park]

honestly..... that murderer sets a bad example for the japanese society..and murdering a teacher who yearned to help people who wanted to speak japanese. as her father has commented, she wasnt here to be MURDERED. she came here to HELP.

[Copacabana]

Eleanor, I quite agree that this crime shouldn't be blown out of proportion. I felt extemely safe living in Japan -- far safer than I do now in London -- despite the couple of creepy experiences that I mentioned on this blog.

However, even if Lindsay did teach that lesson in a family restaurant, given that their first encounter involved Ichihashi following her to her flat, you would think that the alarm bells might start ringing when he then tried to persuade her to go to his place.

Yes, we would all like to live in a perfect society where everyone can be trusted, but they can't. Nothing justifies murder, but the fact of the matter is that we do need to watch our own backs.

[Harry Krishner]

You must be a Nova student, Taka.

[sally brown]

what i don't understand is after all the lucy blackman news publicity for 7 years, ms hacker still didn't GET IT. when will girls GET IT? sorry to say this, but you GIRLS need to GET IT! GET IT? Just like the Japanese girls who were raped in ROME by the Iranian guy a few years ago, when are girls going to GET IT? Wake up and pay attention. Is it brain wiring? Hormones? Sorry to say this, but for the future, it must be said. i hope webbymast doesn't delete my warnings...

[Eleanor Goldsmith]

Get what, exactly, Sally? That all men are potential rapists and murderers and that women shouldn't meet them without a chaperone and references in triplicate? I think you just don't "GET IT" - the majority of men are decent creatures and despise low-lifes like Ichihashi and Joji Obara [allegedly].

[C.J. Creighton]

It finally occurred to me the meaning of the detail about her hand sticking out of the dirt.

Lindsay was still alive as the murderer was burying her in the potting soil. She managed to get her hand out of the dirt in an effort to breathe.

Ichihashi has still not been found. In a country where every citizen registers at their local police station this is remarkable. It would seem evident that his parents are sheltering him.

[The detail about the hand appeared in the earliest report but not thereafter, and the police have not subsequently confirmed it. I suspect that it may not be true. RLP]

[KHAY]

Well said Eleanor! Whatever IT is, the only 'it' that is clear from the footage is that Ms Hawker opted for teaching him in a cafe, nothing stupid about that. He had time during these inital encounters to gain her trust.
In his mind- he may have construed that he was on a date, yes there are cultural subtexts to having coffee, going to people's homes etc, BUT she at least recognised the smarter option of teaching him in a cafe, unfortunately something else led her back to his flat. How many of us have started language exchanges, then realising its not for us, ie. the other wants something different, have not continued the experience.
The way she looked in the footage suggests she was just waiting to leave.
I really hope some new lead pushes the police in the right direction, and that if someone is helping him, they feel the heat as well.

[Damon Coulter]

If you ask me he is being sheltered and the police are in no rush to catch Mr.Ichihashi. They hope that he may do some "honourable" thing like commit suicide then the little ambiquity of his crime can never be fully proved. There is an inherant sexism in the Japanese police that somehow always blames women for any crimes against them. With a dead suspect the "were they weren`t they having a relationship" can be the final statement on the issue. As others have said no-one deserves to be killed and even if they were a couple (which I doubt) that doesn`t excuse a murder. But then you have to think in a Japanese pride way. If it she can be tarnished with some scandel it takes some of the shame away from having a purely Japanese crime. Already the media here is showing her as a bit of a party girl. She was 22 for Christ`s sake of course she was, but the point is to prepare the public for the fact that she let herself be murdered and Mr. Ichihashi is then somehow absolved of full culpability.
Damon

[Chen]

http://www.asahi.com/international/update/0406/JJT200704060001.html

[Maldoror]

Is the killer of Ms Hawker the Kobe Killer? Is that why the police won't arrest him? The photo that was "accidentally" printed in AERA magazine is here. He looks very close to Hawker's killer.

http://www.suicidepact.org/images/kobe_killer_child_a.jpg

Anyone who knows how to contact Mr Hawker, please tell him to ask the police about it.

[Felicia]

No. They look remarkably similar (nice call)
The Kobe Killer would now only be 23 or 24.
Tatsuya Ichihashi is 28.
The Kobe Killer has bigger earlobes and Ichihashi has a longer jawline.
I stared at both pictures for a very long time.
To all the negatives in the comments posted here; give Lindsay some credit, nobody walks around with the mentality that they'll be murdered by everybody the come into contact with - it's dumb to even write that. She did not deserve to be murdered in cold blood.

[Hajime]

I'm more puzzled by the total absence of critical commentaries in the media about shamed-Japan comment made by the victim's father? The statement was racist.

[Gilman]

Hajime - In what way was it racist? Should Japanese instead be proud that the police allowed the suspect to escape so easily?

[Gary]

I live in Japan and am married to a Japanese women. For many years I've been made aware of the Japanese man's attitude towards women and in particular western women. It's a cultural thing, this crime could have happened anywhere, l vaguly remember a case involving a French student in England. The News at the time in Franch captured the French media like this case. The French probably thought we were a nation of sex maniacs. Coverage here has been sympathetic and on the whole caring. Japan should not once again be blighted!!!!!

[Sophie]

I'm a British woman who has lived in Japan for almost 10 years, and I have to say I am absolutely appalled by some of the remarks that have been made! A young woman has suffered and a life has been lost been lost! how can you comment on something you don't know about? nobody deserves to loose their life! When will people wake up and realise that Tokyo Is not so safe? Lucy blackman was drugged and her trail was two weeks ago and the man was not charged!!! also an Australian lady died and 10 women had very bad experiences! Yes I agree it can happen anywhere but there is no protction in Japan for foreign women. I have encounted many uncomfortable experiences with the men and in public, when I went to the police they sniggered amongst themselves!(you hasve no idea how that feels) I have had to move apartments and now having to quit a very good job I have (and narrowminded 'Khan' no I was not wearing a low top!) and Sally Brown, "you need to get it" who said she willingly went to his apartment?? and actually that is the is the normal thing to to do here as 'is it is so safe'and Copacabana....I'm pleased you felt very safe here in Tokyo, but not everyone is as fortunate as you, so your comment is unrealistic and thoughtless!! we are not just talking about western women, Japanese women also often have many problems hense the ('women only carriges on trains') why have police said "no comment " to sexual abuse? and why are they hiding the family? they haven't even shown their respects to Lindsay's family! CJ Creighton, you obviosly think your a detective but, i guess thats not your job? lets hope Lindsays family don't see your incensitive remark! Hajime...why does racisum have to come into it??? the fact is there is no rotection for foreign women..and I'm not just talking aboout 'The British' I have seen things many mny times! please people have some respect after this tragic incident!!!