Japan - Miyazawa family of 4 murdered, Setagaya, Tokyo, 30 Dec 2000 #2

[Charlot123]

The theory about OCD is quite intriguing. OCD is often associated with ASD, and outbursts of violence are commonly linked to OCD. Worth considering, imho.

Regarding the sand, it’s my understanding that the small bum bag was purchased a couple of years earlier in Tokyo. My hypothesis about the sand in the bag points towards the fishing industry and cash transactions.

If the killer was involved in a family fishing business - either a shop or a fishing enterprise - he would likely have been cutting fish and selling part of the catch for cash. This could suggest a small, family-run fishing operation where customers could buy fresh fish. Handling fish and cash in such an environment would naturally lead to sand transfer. The sand could have adhered to their hands during fish processing and subsequently to the cash.

The presence of only two types of sand suggests that the activity was localised and narrowed down to certain area, with the fish being caught, unloaded on a sandy surface, and then moved to the market. The bum bag was primarily used to store cash, so it’s plausible that the killer handled banknotes with sand on them.

The sashimi knife, the fish cutting technique, the sand, and the sweater with DIVE written on it - all these elements fit the profile of someone associated with fish or fishing. My intuition tells me that the killer was likely a fish handler, well, at least part-time. He vanished just like a fish slipping away. JMO.

Did Japan invite migrants to work as fish-handlers, periodically? I wouldn’t be surprised if it was seasonal work.

Another option, is there any famous fish restaurant at Miura coast where the Miyazawas spent one summer? The guy could be a chef but more likely, a waiter.

 

[Charlot123]

A question to those who know about the Japanese culture.

How are surnames formed? Can you tell something about the family line from the name, or is it random? I know how things stand in Slavic countries, for example. There are names that are known gentry (Golitsyn, Trubetskoy, Yusupov, Naryshkin), but as these people had serfs for centuries, the serfs could also get the same surnames, or not. So, you can’t assume that a person with a familiar gentry name is of the gentry, but there are some that are more likely to be such.

What is the situation in Japan. Is the surname a clan, or are they formed differently?

Could he assume that some prior Miyazawa, say, during WWII or before, had done something to his family, only to realize that he was wrong?

 

[FacelessPodcast]

Did Japan invite migrants to work as fish-handlers, periodically? I wouldn’t be surprised if it was seasonal work.

Another option, is there any famous fish restaurant at Miura coast where the Miyazawas spent one summer? The guy could be a chef but more likely, a waiter.

I'm not sure about invite but the immigrant population of Japan is less than 3% of the total population. We know they are granted limited duration employment visas and academic ones. We know Japan also grants asylum to refugees. However, as I understand it, every single one of those give up their fingerprints and so on. So, if that's the case, that immediately eliminates the above in one stroke. That leaves us with:

1) Undocumented migrants.
Given the killer's not inexpensive clothing, aftershave etc, that doesn't jive for me in concept. It would also have to be an undocumented migrant who had access to Edwards USAF base. Beyond the realms of possibility in my book.

2) A foreigner in Japan who does not have to give up such data.
That would include my POI, all US military personnel and dependents, diplomats etc.

3) Japanese without a criminal record.
By number, the most likely. But again, one that is able to hide from the authorities for 24 years despite being extensively sought-after. Also, one that is able to access Edwards USAF base. The handkerchief leading to a fishing factory, to my mind, is about as useful as the *possibly* Korean-manufactured shoe leading us to a South Korean national = i.e. useless.

 

[Sor Juana]

Did Japan invite migrants to work as fish-handlers, periodically? I wouldn’t be surprised if it was seasonal work.
Another option, is there any famous fish restaurant at Miura coast where the Miyazawas spent one summer? The guy could be a chef but more likely, a waiter.

Yes, Japan has historically employed seasonal fish handlers from other countries, including in Tokyo in the 1990s. The fishing industry in Japan is significant and sometimes relies on foreign labour, particularly for seasonal or temporary work. The Japanese government established the Technical Intern Training Program, which allows foreign workers to come to Japan for a limited period to gain skills and work in industries experiencing labour shortages. This program has been a source of seasonal and temporary workers in the fishing industry. Seasonal fish handling in particular attracts migrants from China, the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia. These workers may come on temporary visas or through specific labour agreements. In Tokyo and large cities, fish markets (e.g., Tsukiji Fish Market, which operated until 2018 before moving to Toyosu) are the largest employers.

I don't think it was a seasonal worker though. While it's not impossible, I tend to lean towards a scenario where the killer rather was a grandson (or greatgreatson) of migrants who blended into Japanese society decades ago. May be, but may be not. I don't believe he was as foreign to Japan as a typical seasonal worker would be. Perhaps he came from a less affluent family with a fishing shop, and he might have had a South European great-grandmother or something similar. We don't have any firm links to his alleged Korean heritage, only some vague probabilities suggested by DNA and shoe size data. If it turns out his shoe size was 27, then the shoes were not Korean-made.

If he were a migrant from Korea, the DNA would likely show more uniform Korean ancestry. Besides, most of his clothing items were likely purchased around 1998-1999, +-, with some later. This indicates that he had been living in the Kanto region for at least 2-3 years, which doesn't align with the profile of seasonal workers. Seasonal workers typically don't come with families; they usually come alone on 3 to 6-month visas. JMO.

 

[Sor Juana]

Another option, is there any famous fish restaurant at Miura coast where the Miyazawas spent one summer? The guy could be a chef but more likely, a waiter.

Did they spend one summer on the Miura Coast? When was it? What else is known about it?

 

[Sor Juana]

What is the situation in Japan. Is the surname a clan, or are they formed differently?
Could he assume that some prior Miyazawa, say, during WWII or before, had done something to his family, only to realize that he was wrong?

Surnames became widespread in Japan during the Meiji Restoration in the late 19th century when the government mandated that all citizens adopt a family name. This led to the formalisation and standardisation of many traditional surnames that are still in use today. Many surnames were derived from geographical features such as mountains, rivers, and fields. Some reflect the name of a place or region where the family originated. Some surnames are based on the family's occupation or social role. Some are inspired by nature, plants, etc. Some surnames were adopted or conferred by emperors, shoguns, or other noble figures and often signified the family's heritage or historical clans. Many surnames are combinations of kanji characters that together form a unique meaning. The surname Miyazawa is a traditional Japanese surname with roots that can be traced back to geographical features and historical contexts. Families living near a prominent shrine or palace, in proximity to a wetland, could adopt the surname Miyazawa to reflect their location. The use of specific kanji like 宮 (Miya) could indicate some historical or cultural significance, suggesting the family may have had some association with shrines or palaces in their lineage. This could prompt some theories about the religious nature of the murder. I know someone has already proposed such a theory, but I'm not sure if the TMPD considers it viable (or ever considered it viable) or has dismissed it already. I am sure they have explored that angle.

 

[Tiger Stripes]

Surnames became widespread in Japan during the Meiji Restoration in the late 19th century when the government mandated that all citizens adopt a family name. This led to the formalisation and standardisation of many traditional surnames that are still in use today. Many surnames were derived from geographical features such as mountains, rivers, and fields. Some reflect the name of a place or region where the family originated. Some surnames are based on the family's occupation or social role. Some are inspired by nature, plants, etc. Some surnames were adopted or conferred by emperors, shoguns, or other noble figures and often signified the family's heritage or historical clans. Many surnames are combinations of kanji characters that together form a unique meaning. The surname Miyazawa is a traditional Japanese surname with roots that can be traced back to geographical features and historical contexts. Families living near a prominent shrine or palace, in proximity to a wetland, could adopt the surname Miyazawa to reflect their location. The use of specific kanji like 宮 (Miya) could indicate some historical or cultural significance, suggesting the family may have had some association with shrines or palaces in their lineage. This could prompt some theories about the religious nature of the murder. I know someone has already proposed such a theory, but I'm not sure if the TMPD considers it viable (or ever considered it viable) or has dismissed it already. I am sure they have explored that angle.

Outstanding information, @Sor Juana! Thank you for sharing these things, as well as for "connecting some dots" in your last paragraph. (I have read most of this information 20 some years ago, aside from the part directly related to this case, but it's good to get a helpful review!)

Edited to correct approximate years.

 

[Incoherent]

Absolutely. And this is one of the few things the detectives have explicitly said about the killer.

So in the interest of citing actual reported information and sources here and not just wild theories as we have here lately… (a bit of a long post here apologies it is as a reply).

The inside of the hip bag was completely covered with rhodamine red from highlighter pens, pictured here, source here:

The same rhodamine substance was also found on the killers raglan t-shirt reported here, and sand from Miura (where the Yokosuka base is located) was reported on the killer’s jacket that was only sold as early as two months before the murder took place as reported here. Within two months of the jacket being sold, the killer had to have been in Miura.

The dimensions of the hip bag are 21cm in length, 27cm in width, and 9.5cm in depth as reported here. More than large enough to carry things like books and stationary, including highlighter pens that had left streaks inside the bag and on the t-shirt.

So from this, we have confirmation the killer highly likely carried highlighter pens in his large hip bag, that also got onto his shirt, and his two month old (at MOST) jacket already had sand on it from a place that also has a US naval base.

The killers profile as reported here lists his waist circumference as between 70-75cm based on the length of the hip bag belt, which is 27.5-29.5 inches - very slim. The hip bag would look quite large on his body. With a height of 170cm and waist of 70cm, the killer is not big in stature at all.
His shoes being reported as 27.5cm in comparison with his stature are large, likely indicating continuing growth (this bit is just JMO apologies).

His clothing was not cheap, and the knife certainly wasn’t either. As reported here the knife used in the murder was sold for around ¥3500, which back in 2000 was around $35 USD. This certainly tells us he was not struggling to get by without much money.

So to conclude here from reports and actual sources: we have a killer than was thin and relatively short in stature, that wore semi-expensive clothing and perfume, large shoes, carried a knife that was costly too, wore a hip bag that was streaked with highlighter pen that also got onto his t-shirt and is large enough to carry books along with those pens, and had a brand new jacket that had traces of sand from a place with a US military base.
Not to even mention the further traces of sand confirmed to be from bases California inside the hip bag.

And to add to all of this, the age reported by the TMPD is listed as 15-24.

To me personally there is one clear picture of the killer based on the presented factual information, and that aligns with the theory shared by @FacelessPodcast. But since this is still just a theory, of course there can be many others.

However, as someone invested in this case (as we all most certainly are) I would personally be very excited and interested to see more theories based on factual and reported information on the case, with sources, be shared on WebSleuths.

 

[Incoherent]

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As for the shoe size debate, from what I also understand you’re correct there - it could have been 27 or 27.5. But in relation to my post, the size compared to the height of the killer indicates a large foot size. Meaning, in my opinion, he was still growing. This would fit with the speculated age range given by the TMPD that he was between 15-24 and not done growing yet.

And just as an anecdote of mine living in Japan for as long as I have, I see JHS and HS students constantly and yes they do indeed wear many different types of bags that include hip bags of all sizes depending on where they’re going and what they’re doing.

 

[FacelessPodcast]

@Incoherent, very solid points, as ever.

To move this away from oblique opinions about bag usage that lead nowhere fast, I would be interested to hear the views of the thread on the following:

I was recently passed an old (but trustworthy) news article about the case. In it, it actually explicitly states Mikio had visited New York. Now, this is something I’ve heard before but it’s the first time I’ve seen it stated by a primary source. Also, it’s the first time I’ve heard of the *whole family* travelling to the US with him. (There is some evidence he was also in California before with work).

 

[Sor Juana]

His clothing was not cheap, and the knife certainly wasn’t either. As reported here the knife used in the murder was sold for around ¥3500, which back in 2000 was around $35 USD. This certainly tells us he was not struggling to get by without much money.

The bag was purchased at a discount store, his scarf was acrylic (inexpensive), everything else was also budget-friendly, put it that way. Muji and Uniqlo are mid-range retailers offering reasonable quality at reasonable prices (value for money as we say), while Daiso is a budget retailer -- "100 yen shop" similar to "Hot Dollar".
The knife he had ($35) -- roughly the price you’d find at a supermarket. A good professional sashimi knife typically costs from about $100 (like a Tojiro 24cm) to several hundred dollars.
Certainly, all things are relative, and what constitutes "a lot of money" varies from person to person. In my opinion, it appears that the killer wasn't impoverished, but neither was he particularly affluent.

 

[fridaybaker]

I missed the part of the story here where the documents that were thrown in the bathtub had been “torn up”. Considering that there doesn’t seem to be anything pointing to a different motive for this, I’m beginning to think it might have simply been part of his destruction of the family. He destroyed the individuals, one by one, then went on to destroy the rest of their lives. Pulling out and overturning drawers, tearing documents and destroying them with water, throwing then in the toilet (and maybe defecating on them) is a violent sort of destruction, much like slaughtering a family.

Or maybe this: Can you imagine the adrenaline that most be flowing during such a prolonged, vicious attack? Killing four people, one after another, three of them in a particularly vicious manner? The rage that must have fueled it? Does that suddenly stop after the fourth kill?

Perhaps the drawer-pulling and papers-destruction were simply the “over-run” of rage and adrenaline. After the murders he’s physically starting to weaken, maybe the rage and adrenaline ebbing starting to ebb, but some, of course, must remain. It simply doesn’t turn off like a spigot.

I don’t know. Does that fit?

 

[Incoherent]

The bag was purchased at a discount store, his scarf was acrylic (inexpensive), everything else was also budget-friendly, put it that way. Muji and Uniqlo are mid-range retailers offering reasonable quality at reasonable prices (value for money as we say), while Daiso is a budget retailer -- "100 yen shop" similar to "Hot Dollar".
The knife he had ($35) -- roughly the price you’d find at a supermarket. A good professional sashimi knife typically costs from about $100 (like a Tojiro 24cm) to several hundred dollars.
Certainly, all things are relative, and what constitutes "a lot of money" varies from person to person. In my opinion, it appears that the killer wasn't impoverished, but neither was he particularly affluent.

The price of the items the killer was wearing and had are listed in the source I stated here, and adjusted to exchange rates back in 2000 the killer was easily wearing over at least $200 USD in clothing and accessories that night. And that doesn’t even list the prices of the shoes or the trousers. The jacket alone was almost $60. And all besides the tennis shoes and trousers were discarded. For someone in the age range of 15-24, I’m not sure you can say over at least $200+ in clothing the killer was wearing that night is exactly “inexpensive”.

And as far as knives go, since you mention the ¥100 store Daiso, you can buy knives there for as little as ¥200 which is just a couple of bucks. Why then, did the killer bring a knife that was ¥3500? If he purchased it for the sole purpose of the murder then he clearly didn’t care about money too much or it wasn’t an object. Or did he take it from his home? Seems the POI fits a very comfy lifestyle so perhaps he was used to nicer things. Not so much a fishmonger really.

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[Incoherent]

I missed the part of the story here where the documents that were thrown in the bathtub had been “torn up”. Considering that there doesn’t seem to be anything pointing to a different motive for this, I’m beginning to think it might have simply been part of his destruction of the family. He destroyed the individuals, one by one, then went on to destroy the rest of their lives. Pulling out and overturning drawers, tearing documents and destroying them with water, throwing then in the toilet (and maybe defecating on them) is a violent sort of destruction, much like slaughtering a family.

Or maybe this: Can you imagine the adrenaline that most be flowing during such a prolonged, vicious attack? Killing four people, one after another, three of them in a particularly vicious manner? The rage that must have fueled it? Does that suddenly stop after the fourth kill?

Perhaps the drawer-pulling and papers-destruction were simply the “over-run” of rage and adrenaline. After the murders he’s physically starting to weaken, maybe the rage and adrenaline ebbing starting to ebb, but some, of course, must remain. It simply doesn’t turn off like a spigot.

I don’t know. Does that fit?

I can absolutely see all of this.

<modsnip: No source>

But documents were indeed ripped up and then soaked in water in the bathtub.

 

[Sillybilly]

ADMIN NOTE:

Move on from arguing about the bag ... police have stated it was a school bag, so please don't argue that it is something else.

Also, it is not necessary to respond to every single post. When another member states their opinion and you state yours, please move on without bickering or trying to hammer your own point of view into someone else's head.

 

[FacelessPodcast]

"To move this away from oblique opinions about bag usage that lead nowhere fast, I would be interested to hear the views of the thread on the following:

I was recently passed an old (but trustworthy) news article about the case. In it, it actually explicitly states Mikio had visited New York. Now, this is something I’ve heard before but it’s the first time I’ve seen it stated by a primary source. Also, it’s the first time I’ve heard of the *whole family* travelling to the US with him. (There is some evidence he was also in California before with work)."

I would love to hear people's thoughts about this. Does their all being in the US move the dial at all for the thread? Also, there's a possibility that Mikio's work there involved the design of aircraft liveries...

 

[Charlot123]

Did they spend one summer on the Miura Coast? When was it? What else is known about it?

I

Yes, Japan has historically employed seasonal fish handlers from other countries, including in Tokyo in the 1990s. The fishing industry in Japan is significant and sometimes relies on foreign labour, particularly for seasonal or temporary work. The Japanese government established the Technical Intern Training Program, which allows foreign workers to come to Japan for a limited period to gain skills and work in industries experiencing labour shortages. This program has been a source of seasonal and temporary workers in the fishing industry. Seasonal fish handling in particular attracts migrants from China, the Philippines, Vietnam and Indonesia. These workers may come on temporary visas or through specific labour agreements. In Tokyo and large cities, fish markets (e.g., Tsukiji Fish Market, which operated until 2018 before moving to Toyosu) are the largest employers.

I don't think it was a seasonal worker though. While it's not impossible, I tend to lean towards a scenario where the killer rather was a grandson (or greatgreatson) of migrants who blended into Japanese society decades ago. May be, but may be not. I don't believe he was as foreign to Japan as a typical seasonal worker would be. Perhaps he came from a less affluent family with a fishing shop, and he might have had a South European great-grandmother or something similar. We don't have any firm links to his alleged Korean heritage, only some vague probabilities suggested by DNA and shoe size data. If it turns out his shoe size was 27, then the shoes were not Korean-made.

If he were a migrant from Korea, the DNA would likely show more uniform Korean ancestry. Besides, most of his clothing items were likely purchased around 1998-1999, +-, with some later. This indicates that he had been living in the Kanto region for at least 2-3 years, which doesn't align with the profile of seasonal workers. Seasonal workers typically don't come with families; they usually come alone on 3 to 6-month visas. JMO.

I am not sure that even today, what with all genetic DNA, we can 100% tell Japanese, Korean, Chinese, etc. Likely, it will be a mixture. Our ancestors moved, this is why we are alive. The only thing I’d consider would be Brazil, but in general, mitoDNA is passed over through thousands of years, so it is less ethnic.

About the Miura Coast, it was in Japanese Wikipedia about the Setagaya murders. About the Miura coast sand in the pockets of the perp and the fact that the Miyazawas went there one summer and spent time in the hotel. It was a vacation. TMPD didn’t know what to make out of it.

My personal feeling is that the killer murdered because he wanted to kill, and maybe he chose the Miyazawas because he knew them, but he probably had a list. The primary urge was to kill. The only other option I am looking at is personal, very personal relationship between the perp and Mikio, but it has not been discussed in Japan. IMO, whatever could help us find the connection should be discussed, as an option, Mikio was making theater costumes, after all.

 

[AppleTreeGreen]

Thank you @FacelessPodcast for your answers and responses! TMPD definitely seems to have been working very hard to solve this case. I admire their dedication to getting justice for the Miyazawa family and their loved ones.

I can’t imagine how frustrating it must be for them too that this killer has remained so allusive or remains unidentified. Hearing he was a student and had highlighters marks in his bag makes me picture LE already checking the nearby parks, libraries, cafes, tutors and cram schools too in case he used or frequented any of them to study and thus they could find someone who could identify him. It must have been so frustrating and disheartening when that strategy, among many others, was unsuccessful.

Thinking that the killer may have also been a son of someone in the Air Force and thus was also able to use all the privileges that came with that status to shield himself adds another malicious layer to this crime, IMO. It just seems to me that if that fact is true he never intended to take accountability for his crime and in the end felt very little guilt or empathy for his victims.

 

[Tiger Stripes]

The price of the items the killer was wearing and had are listed in the source I stated here, and adjusted to exchange rates back in 2000 the killer was easily wearing over at least $200 USD in clothing and accessories that night. And that doesn’t even list the prices of the shoes or the trousers. The jacket alone was almost $60. And all besides the tennis shoes and trousers were discarded. For someone in the age range of 15-24...not so much a fishmonger really.


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RSBM
Love the way you "circled the bases" on your way to make a concluding "home run", @Incoherent! Totally agree with you: the killer (possibly a student, still taking classes) was not wanting when it came to clothing.

And you're right: fishmongers in Japan aren't normally thought of as being among the "best dressed" in a crowd.

 

[Charlot123]

Thank you @FacelessPodcast for your answers and responses! TMPD definitely seems to have been working very hard to solve this case. I admire their dedication to getting justice for the Miyazawa family and their loved ones.

I can’t imagine how frustrating it must be for them too that this killer has remained so allusive or remains unidentified. Hearing he was a student and had highlighters marks in his bag makes me picture LE already checking the nearby parks, libraries, cafes, tutors and cram schools too in case he used or frequented any of them to study and thus they could find someone who could identify him. It must have been so frustrating and disheartening when that strategy, among many others, was unsuccessful.

RSBM

Yes, the poor families. Only one parent is alive now, AFAIK.

And, the police working at that case. Especially the first responders. No doubt they suffer from their experience, poor people.

One question we never discussed. We know that Yasuko had a sister. I wonder if Mikio had siblings, or was he the only child?