Found Deceased Japan - Alice Hodgkinson, 28, British English school teacher, Kanagawa, 1 July 2021

[hibachai]

Yes, I thought that was curious also. Although it may have been some kind of share accommodation, where locked doors to your personal area were provided.
We have blocks of student accommodation here, where their personal rooms have locking doors. They may have TVs, microwaves, electric kettles, PCs, along with their other belongings, in their rooms.

The thing that I find telling is that the housemates had not seen Alice for about 10 days. Yet Alice was free to speak with her dad on the day prior to going missing.

So exactly where was Alice when she spoke with her dad? Where was she sleeping? Had she gone away somewhere without mentioning it to her family or housemates?
Was she staying with someone who she shouldn't have been staying with? Is that why the content of the note that was found in her room cannot be disclosed? Is that why the matter is 'sensitive'?

I've seen rumors that her phone was found in her room - if this is the case, how did she speak to her father on the 30th, unless A) she used another device, like a laptop or someone else's phone, or B) her housemates are giving out false information about when she was last home (assuming she didn't manage to get her phone into the room after the 30th without them noticing)

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

Sign Up | LinkedIn


The last post she 'liked' on here was a week ago. And another she 'liked' was yo do with LinkedIn 'not being a dating site'.

 

[fred&edna]

Appears she spoke to her father via Skype.

"Police scouring her apartment found a note but are refusing to share what it says.

The psychology student moved to Japan in March last year and lived and worked in Yokohama, 32 kilometre south of Tokyo.

Dad Stephen called her disappearance “completely out of character” and said there was “no indication that anything was wrong” when they Skyped each other on June 30."


Desperate search for woman who vanished in Japan as her dad says ‘it’s completely out of character’

 

[scriabina]

The note and the "sensitive" nature of the case points to self-harm, IMO... It's possible she was depressed and couldn't stand being in her regular living environment so she left. Maybe she came back home after her roommates were sleeping and showered & slept, then left before they noticed her (or stayed shut in her room until they left). Or maybe she was staying elsewhere like a hotel or even outdoors. Perhaps she was/is trying to muster the courage to harm herself. I hope they find her soon.

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

A 28-year-old Brit teacher has gone missing in Japan sparking a police hunt to find her.

Appeals have been launched on social media to help find Alice Hodgkinson who has been missing since July 1 from her home in Kanagawa.

She has lived in the country since last year and is working for the Shane group of English schools.

After failing to turn up for work in Tokyo appeals have now been circulated in a bid to trace her.

Friends and expats in Japan are circulating missing posters on social media in English and Japanese to help find her.

Desperate hunt for Brit teacher, 28, who vanished in Japan almost one week ago

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

Doesn't sound good...


The family of a British woman living in Japan are appealing for information about her whereabouts after she disappeared from her home in the city of Yokohama.

Alice Hodgkinson, 28, failed to turn up to her job as an English teacher last week and was last in touch with her family by email on Wednesday. A search of her home by police found a note addressed to her parents which suggests that she is in a state of emotional distress.

Teacher Alice Hodgkinson goes missing from flat in Yokohama, Japan | News | The Times

 

[SouthAussie]

Her brother, Peter Hodgkinson, wrote on social media: "I know that the police went round to her home again today so the investigation is continuing.

"We have Nottinghamshire Police setting up a link with the police in Japan over InterPol to deliver news and information to us, but this does take a few days to get setup."

Teacher Alice Hodgkinson, 28, missing in Japan for a week

 

[mucbetam]

This is an extremely concerning case and must be so difficult to manage. My gut reaction was not along the lines of the current thinking. I do not wish to speculate publicly. I will remain to pray for the Hodgkinson's, however.

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

Police in Japan are searching for a British woman who has not been seen for almost a week, with her family describing her disappearance as “completely out of character”.

Alice Hodgkinson, 28, was reported missing after she failed to turn up for work at an English conversation school in Tokyo.

Hodgkinson, from Nottingham, has been working in Tokyo and living in Yokohama, 20 miles (30km) away, since arriving in Japan in March last year. She last turned up for work at Shane, part of a chain of language schools, on 1 July.

Her father, Stephen Hodgkinson, said he had last spoken to his daughter on 30 June.

“We would hear from her pretty regularly and catch up on Skype, but the first I heard that something was wrong was when the manager of her school called to say that she had missed work for a few days and that they were concerned about her wellbeing,” he told the Telegraph.

“I last spoke to her on the day before she disappeared and there was no indication that anything was wrong. She had sent me a Father’s Day present and an email and I wanted to thank her.”

Police reportedly visited Hodgkinson’s Yokohama apartment and broke down the door. They said they had found a note but have refused to reveal what it said or if it had any connection with her disappearance.

Police in Japan search for missing British woman Alice Hodgkinson

 

[RobinCAL]

This is incredibly concerning, I hope the family have news soon.

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

The father of a Nottingham woman who has been reported missing in Japan has spoken of how he is now waiting by the telephone for news of his daughter's whereabouts.

Teacher Alice Hodgkinson, a former student at Bluecoat Academy in Aspley, was last seen on Wednesday, June 30, in Kanagawa, Tokyo, where she had been living.

Alice's dad, Stephen Hodgkinson, last heard from his daughter on the day of her disappearance and all seemed well.

"The last sighting of Alice was on June 29 and I heard from her on June 30 via email.

"There was no sign within the email that anything was wrong. It was a normal communication," he said.

"There's nothing I can do and I am just waiting by the telephone for news at the moment."

Mr Hodgkinson, who lives in Bestwood Village, said that Alice was happy in Japan and explained she left Nottingham to teach English in Tokyo last March.

"She went out in March last year," he explained.

"She did a year and liked it so much she decided to stay on for another."

Friends and work mates of Alice's in Japan are said to be concerned over her disappearance and Mr Hodgkinson said they have been doing what they can to help at this time.

"There's still no update or news," Mr Hodgkinson added.

"The police are in the process of issuing an official poster and her friends and work colleagues have also got together to make posters and are distributing them as widely as possible."

Dad of missing teacher 'waiting by the phone' as search continues

 

[StillDiggin]

Going through some of Alices instagram posts, some wonderful photos and a very regular poster which stopped on the 19 Feb. This sudden stop may not be lockdown related, but maybe loss of motivation to continue post. I have read in comments that wallet and ID were left in the flat. Aokigahara forest is known as Suicide forest and about 80 miles away from her flat, lets hope Alice hasnt gone here. Maybe worth the search to go to some of the sites Alice took pictures from. I hope Alice is found soon.

 

[Skigh]

Has it been reported whether the note was handwritten or typed?
Is it possible she did not write it herself?

 

[MissUnderstood]

When the word ‘note’ was found usually only means one thing hoping she is found soon.

 

[SouthAussie]

If Alice was very unhappy, I wonder why she didn't fly home?

 

[Lucy6226]

Having only listened to a podcast about Lucie Blackman last night, I'm fearing this could be something similar. Really feeling for the family and hope she is found safe soon. MOO

 

[infinit]

Yes, I thought that was curious also. Although it may have been some kind of share accommodation, where locked doors to your personal area were provided.
We have blocks of student accommodation here, where their personal rooms have locking doors. They may have TVs, microwaves, electric kettles, PCs, along with their other belongings, in their rooms.

The thing that I find telling is that the housemates had not seen Alice for about 10 days. Yet Alice was free to speak with her dad on the day prior to going missing.

So exactly where was Alice when she spoke with her dad? Where was she sleeping? Had she gone away somewhere without mentioning it to her family or housemates?
Was she staying with someone who she shouldn't have been staying with? Is that why the content of the note that was found in her room cannot be disclosed? Is that why the matter is 'sensitive'?

I'd be interested in knowing more about how the accomodation is laid out. Japan and Tokyo paticularly are known for having a lot of very small self contained apartments with smaller amounts of living space than we are used to in the West, the image here kind of highlights it: Staying at home in Tokyo's small apartments isn't easy - Japan Today

 

[thelesis]

Most of the discussion on Alice's case has been on twitter. Reddit's japanlife community (because it's technically social media I'm not linking it) is also discussing Alice's disappearance. Interestingly, Japanese police can detain people for 3 days without having to inform anyone, so there was speculation she may have been in police custody but now it's been over 3 days.

 

[jamjim]

This is so worrying, I really hope she’s found soon.

 

[MsMiniSleuth]

I'd be interested in knowing more about how the accomodation is laid out. Japan and Tokyo paticularly are known for having a lot of very small self contained apartments with smaller amounts of living space than we are used to in the West, the image here kind of highlights it: Staying at home in Tokyo's small apartments isn't easy - Japan Today

Agree. I think people are assuming it is like a flat share, with one door and then X number of bedrooms and communal kitchen, bath, living room. That may not be the case.

Or even if it is, these may just have been people she shared with and if they had been away too because of the school holiday, then they probably wouldn't have seen her for a week or more.