Japan - Miyazawa family of 4 murdered, Setagaya, Tokyo, 30 Dec 2000 #3

[Incoherent]

I think that food and defecating - yes

He had to wash off blood before falling asleep so, probably, more than 2 hours

He had to be somewhat organized with sleep though

He still had his knife so if anyone entered the house, he was fully prepared to kill self/others so I don’t think he was in a rush…

If there were no bloodied footprints on the ground, means he probably walked on earth/not concrete/not paved road

But he had to leave the house before dawn so whenever the sunrise was in Dec 29-30-31 of 2000, he was gone before that

I don’t think he was on meth, probably high with inner dopamine and has a sweet tooth. This doesn’t change; I would have preferred salty chips, for example, but he likes sweets

I haven’t read anything about bloody footprints outside anywhere, but there were his footprints under the bathroom window.
The park behind the house and river walk are both dirt, but the front of the house and road to the side are pavement.

I don’t really know if average sunrise and sunset times can change each year or not, but looking at my weather app for where I live In Setagaya the average sunrise for December is 6:43am and sunset is 4:31pm.
So let’s say it’s 6:43am. When would you guess it would start getting light outside? Let’s also remember the house’s surroundings: tennis courts, parks, river walks, etc. Almost certainly there will be people up to walk the dog, jog along the river walk, start an early game of tennis maybe? Basically, people will be up and about in this area around daylight before total sunrise I think. So perhaps not too long after 1:30am and he was gone.

In my head I’ve always had the computer use as his final activity because I feel like it would be the time he was calmest. An ice cream cup was found next to the computer that he used, so I think by this time he was wound down and almost ready to leave and was eating and checking out the PC.
Do you think of it that way too or another way?

 

[Interested_But_Confused]

Do you guys think two hours is more than enough time to do what he did in the house with room for other things, or do you think it sounds about right given his state?

I think if you were uninjured and actively trying to be as quick as possible, you could probably do most of the things the killer did in less than 30 minutes--plus however long it took to kill the family. Ransacking a house doesn't necessarily take very long.

In the killer's condition after he injured himself? Who knows. It depends how severe his injury really was, and how much blood he actually lost.

 

[AlatzuMeizzaja]

I haven’t read anything about bloody footprints outside anywhere, but there were his footprints under the bathroom window.
The park behind the house and river walk are both dirt, but the front of the house and road to the side are pavement.

I don’t really know if average sunrise and sunset times can change each year or not, but looking at my weather app for where I live In Setagaya the average sunrise for December is 6:43am and sunset is 4:31pm.
So let’s say it’s 6:43am. When would you guess it would start getting light outside? Let’s also remember the house’s surroundings: tennis courts, parks, river walks, etc. Almost certainly there will be people up to walk the dog, jog along the river walk, start an early game of tennis maybe? Basically, people will be up and about in this area around daylight before total sunrise I think. So perhaps not too long after 1:30am and he was gone.

In my head I’ve always had the computer use as his final activity because I feel like it would be the time he was calmest. An ice cream cup was found next to the computer that he used, so I think by this time he was wound down and almost ready to leave and was eating and checking out the PC.
Do you think of it that way too or another way?

On December 31, 2000, sunrise in Setagaya was at 6:51am and sunset was 4:38pm. MOO.

 

[BatataPoha]

Good points.

1) Re: statue - The letter 6 was inscribed in Kanji. Its a 20 kg statue. I have seen some similar stuff online and they don’t seem to be inscribed at the base as a norm. Could it be a good Samaritan? Sure. But the placing a heavy statue at night is certainly odd. They also don’t seem to be very cheap, atleast according to this site, and this one is quite small and less elaborate.

Jizo granite sculpture 1950s

Temple Jiso-busatsu Buddhist sculpture 1950s stone carving

www.japanese-vintage.org

2) Re: Rei’s plane interest - Ofcourse we shouldn’t ignore stuff, but I do feel like the killer smh was first made aware of the family in the market. Ofcourse we can’t discount the fact that he might have seen the family earlier.

3) Re: killer’s mental state

A lot of disorders have been thrown around here, and why I am not a psychiatric expert, I don’t think the killer fits the mold of any one of them, except maybe some conduct/ rule breaking disorder.

I would reiterate the fact that while the killer was a novice killer, he wasnt amateurish in his entry and exit. He didn’t leave a lot of clues behind, except for during and immediately after the murders. The murders don’t seem to have been planned in rage, there is an element of good bit of planning here imo.

4) Re:cell phones - I don’t know how verified this is. I think I will wait for some better researched sources before venturing into this.

5) Re: killer’s activities.

Kill 4 people, patch yourself up, eat ice cream, drink tea, poop, use the computer, disturb the drawers, empty stuff in the bathroom. I think all of it can be done in a short time frame.

What he does after that is up for speculation. Personally I don’t think the killer napped, but simply waited/rested and went out some time before first light, to avoid folks like newspaper guys and grocery guys who might be up early morning.

JMO.

 

[AppleTreeGreen]

It is said he entered at 11pm and the killing was done by 11:30pm as the ladder to the loft went back up.
So this gives us at least two hours for all the things we know happened.
He may have stayed later than 1:30am before leaving.

Part of me wonders why didn’t he just stay the night considering his injuries, the access to the computer and food and a possible adrenaline crash.

Did he have a curfew? Did the base or did the trains stopped working at a certain time?

Or was he worried about someone, like another family member or resident, walking in?

Also, though random or possibly out of scope, a part of me also wonders what if this crime for him was not a one-off thing? For example, perhaps he commits some heinous act every time he moves to a new country or region if the impulse was there? Even if he was possibly young when he horrendously murdered the poor Miyazawa family perhaps as he got older and more independent the pattern and impulse escalated and repeated themselves?

 

[Charlot123]

I can’t forget the sound of the ring/intercom that a neighbor heard. Does anyone remember the timing?

I was thinking, mysterious Japanese people are humans like everyone else. And assuming that the killer is one of their own, which I think he is, what would some young person, not an addict, not a psychopath, not a SK, kill the whole family for?

For knowing his secret, or a family secret, maybe? An adult man would, for example, kill for the knowledge about his shameful relationship. An older teenager…maybe, because his big secret (girlfriend’s pregnancy, or falling in love with a much younger girl) got known?

So I remember the timing: the New Year, the time of nengajo. All You Need To Know About Japan's 'Nengajo' New Year's Cards - Savvy Tokyo

Yes, usually they are supposed to arrive by January 1, but is it still possible that with the high card volume being sent in 2000, one arrived on the morning of December 30? Or could it be so that a student in Yasuko’s school accidentally left a written nengajo (meant for someone else) in their house? Or did a young mailman accidentally deliver something not meant for them? I read that young kids, of 15-16, get temp holiday work delivering postcards.

So this is a scenario in my head: the killer rings. The Miyazawas open the door. For whatever reason, they invite him in, maybe indeed he is a local, and he, as a polite guest, puts on the slippers. Hence, DNA on them. Then they start a discussion in the lobby/entrance area, and this is when people in the Irie’s house hear two voices, the woman’s one (Yasuko) and the male one (the guest.)

I think the argument is about possession, he wants his stuff back, and Yasuko says, no (will let the girlfriend’s mother know? Or was the card meant for Niina, a child, totally inappropriate?)

An argument leads to nothing, and the man leaves. Through the front door. No blood yet, there is only his DNA in the slippers at that moment. However, he is angry. Then, he waits in the darkness till everyone is asleep, walks from the back, gets into the bathroom window and the mayhem begins.

This scenario could explain why he knew the family (a local!) enough to plan but the planning was done rapidly. He clearly is “Japanese enough”; “comfort food” in his stomach somehow rules out a US army brat, sorry. He actually, doesn’t need to travel far. Maybe he does use a bike, but more likely, in the evening he comes on foot.

I mean, with good luck, he could get back home, wash himself and even ride a bike to deliver the cards. Or ask his brother to do it.

I remember the havoc related to that lost postcard from the Miyazawas’ house. Then, the police said that one of their policemen took it. I remember asking myself, how did the police know about that card in general? It could have been An or Haruko who walked into the house in the morning and saw the card lying on the table. Later, they noticed its absence from the house. And maybe, it is still absent but is one of the secrets the police doesn’t want to disclose.

So, could the young man be a BF of Yasuko’s female cram school student? Maybe waiting for her in the park, maybe skateboarding, even, but not a part of that “main group”? He probably was local enough to not stand out and he was less smart and more impulsive in general.

Or maybe, he, indeed, moonlighted as a mailman but “sent own” nengajo to Niina and it was figured out by Yasuko? I wonder if it was someone very local, very casually known in the neighborhood but never paid attention to?

Why wasn’t he found? Maybe killed himself soon enough, or was sent by parents to grandparents (another island) and eventually, did the same later?

To me, he doesn’t come across as a psychopath but maybe, he is a tad delayed and shooting from the hip?

Yasuko’s purse being searched gave me this idea. Also, I would like to know if a box of matches disappeared from the Miyazawas’ house? I think he found his “item” and burned it, maybe next to the pond.

 

[MiniMoo]

Charlot123: "To me, he doesn’t come across as a psychopath but maybe, he is a tad delayed and shooting from the hip?"

To murder four people in cold blood including two young children and then descretate their home like he did is not only utterly twisted, but Psychopathic - even Sociopathic. Maybe more Sociopathic, but definitely not normal behaviour under any circumstances.

Highly unlikely this was the only bad thing he ever did in his life, but it may have been the most shocking and extreme.

Who knows?!

He could have actually gone on to committing further murders, but until he is found we will never truly know.

 

[Charlot123]

.

"To me, he doesn’t come across as a psychopath but maybe, he is a tad delayed and shooting from the hip?"

To murder four people in cold blood including two young children and then descretate their home like he did is not only utterly twisted, but Psychopathic - even Sociopathic. Maybe more Sociopathic, but definitely not normal behaviour under any circumstances.

Highly unlikely this was the only bad thing he ever did in his life, but it may have been the most shocking and extreme.

Truth is, we don’t know. We can assume, but there is no information. I think he flew under the radar, meaning, “local enough.” BTW, I am not sure that the killer is alive, not at all.

 

[Sor Juana]

To murder four people in cold blood including two young children and then descretate their home like he did is not only utterly twisted, but Psychopathic - even Sociopathic. Maybe more Sociopathic, but definitely not normal behaviour under any circumstances.

It could be, but we don't know for sure. The fact that the killer demonstrated extreme brutality does not automatically prove psychopathy. There could be another condition.

Is There a Link Between Mental Health and Mass Shootings?

Mass murder committed with means other than firearms, such as bombing, arson, vehicles, even stabbings, is about two and a half times more deadly than mass murder committed with firearms.

Half of all mass shootings are associated with no red flags—no diagnosed mental illness, no substance use, no history of criminality, nothing. They’re generally committed by middle-aged men who are responding to a severe and acute stressor, so they're not planned, which makes them very difficult to prevent. So, we must look much further upstream.

If we’re talking about the mass shooters that we hear the most about, such as school shooters and other individuals who commit such public crimes, we have examined a number of these cases and are seeing a pattern. As opposed to most mass shooters, these perpetrators tend to be younger males who are often nihilistic, empty, angry, feel rejected by society, blame society for their rejection, and harbor a strong desire for notoriety. They want to make their mark on the world that will elevate them to the status they believe they are entitled to and deserve.

 

[MiniMoo]

It could be, but we don't know for sure. The fact that the killer demonstrated extreme brutality does not automatically prove psychopathy. There could be another condition.

Is There a Link Between Mental Health and Mass Shootings?

Maybe not a link between this case and mass shootings that is for sure, but that was an interesting read.

You could be right about the brutality.

I remember another case when I lived in Japan where some high school boys became quite brutal towards a salary man on a train platform (Sengenjaya station) only I can't remember if they accidentally killed him or if he was just badly injured. I think he was just badly hurt. No one came to that man's aid from what I remember and those boys wouldn't stop kicking and attacking him. I'm not sure what stopped them, but by the time they were the damage was already done.

Very brutal, violent, unexpected, highly unusual and sudden. In that situation I wouldn't class them as Psychotic or Sociopathic, but definitely not normal behaviour either.

I will say this - some of the murder cases, if not most, in Japan that I saw on the news or read about when I lived there had extremes to them. Like extreme violence and brutality that was quite shocking only some went beyond just brutal.

 

[Interested_But_Confused]

I think anybody can have an unexpected and/or unexplained flash of anger which causes them to lash out and do something horrible. The issue for me in this case is that the attack and desecration was so prolonged.

This isn't specific to Japan, but I will say that in cultures where emotions are somewhat repressed, when those emotions do finally explode the result *is* often extreme.

 

[MiniMoo]

I think anybody can have an unexpected and/or unexplained flash of anger which causes them to lash out and do something horrible. The issue for me in this case is that the attack and desecration was so prolonged.

This isn't specific to Japan, but I will say that in cultures where emotions are somewhat repressed, when those emotions do finally explode the result *is* often extreme.

True anyone can lash out and we all are capable of crossing lines.

Have to agree with you on the length of time the perpetrator spent there as well as what he did. Unacceptable behaviour!

Repression can do that for sure - make people explode!

Back then, in Japan, I remember students didn't do things like debating in high school. It was more about studying and memorising facts rather than putting forward different points of views to support an argument and...well, let's just say we (a few foreigners) wondered if that may have been a small part of the issue.

You see, debating usually develops critical thinking and reasoning skills.

With that salary man on the train platform nothing really happened worthy of an attack like that at all. I think the boys may have been a bit noisy or the train was too full for everyone to pile into so he said something (politely) about it only for them to do what they did which was uncalled for and brutal.

 

[BatataPoha]

I would be highly sceptical about this train of thought about this being an attack of passion.

1) The knife has been bought earlier and was on the killer. Now unless we think the killer went back to his place and came back with a knife, in which case he lived nearby, then he came to the place with the intention to kill.

If he did indeed live nearby, then why spend atleast 2 hrs in the house where you just murdered everyone. Why not get what you want and run away to your own place? Again it doesn’t track with what we know the killer did later.

Not to mention the fact that there is no reason for him to change clothes or leave his hip bag if he lives close enough and already is well aware of the routes and destination.

2) the motive itself being discussed is incredibly thin in my view. I dunno why a personal gift card of the killer would be at the Miyazawas in the first place, and as for someone being inappropriate with Nina, I mean it could be possible but I feel like anyone remotely connected with the Miyazawas would have been investigated and inspected for injuries/ fingerprinted.

 

[AppleTreeGreen]

I think more than likely a coincidence it was on that page, but I do wonder if the family ever took a trip to the Friendship Day (Open Day) on the base?

Thank for sharing about Friendship Day! After reading yours and several other posts reminding me of Rei’s love for plane I was wondering too if maybe there was an air show available at the base or if it was open to the public or families who wanted to check out the planes. I am Google a bit more because I am curious in general if there were any air-based shows taking place in Tokyo or around the base or near Miyazawa home in the prior months or weeks. My thinking was, though unlikely because Tokyo is heavily populated and huge, perhaps there is a tiny chance the perp with his family may have crossed paths or noticed the Miyazawas there? Also, on that note I would like to see maybe if there were big festivals or events that may have attracted families or were just fairly popular enough to also cause the same occurrence, however how unlikely.

Just my own speculation, theories

They produced mobile phones with security PINs as a standard feature even then. From what I recall, the popular brands included Fujitsu, NEC, Sony

This also makes me wonder if by chance the perp somehow caught a glance of Miko using his PIN number or at least maybe one of them? Perhaps he was standing behind him online at a store or something and either watched him put it in his cellphone or pay real close attention as he used it to pay for something at the store and memorized it as best he could? He could have done this also standing behind him at an ATM. In addition to the rage, poor impulse control could the desire to access Mikio’s bank accounts played a role in the perp’s motives?

If so, I wonder why? Even he had somehow found, memorized or guessed the right PIN number for his cards using them would be risky because they can and would be tracked. Wasn’t he worried about getting caught? Especially after the police started investigating the Miyazawas horrific murders. If he couldn’t use the cards how would he get the money? Did he plan to somehow transfer the money to an untraceable or unidentifiable account? Did he even know how? Did he plan to go to an ATM and just take all cash out? Was he expecting help from someone? Or was the money meant for someone? If he was indeed moving out of Japan was he waiting until he and his family were in another country before accessing the accounts?

Why did he want the money? What he would he spend it on? Was he planning to go on the run from LE? Was he planning to run period? Maybe leave his family, the base or his identity completely by robbing Miyazawas? Was that his new plan once his parents moved abroad again? Did he anticipate the Japanese authorities not be able to trace him abroad after he depleted the funds available in Miko’s cards?

JMO/speculation

There was a skate park on the base. Is there any connection regarding the skate park adjacent to the Miyazawa home?

I think that is plausible. IIRC none of the skaters by the house could help LE identify the suspect but maybe the perp uses the skate park during off hours. For example, if he was a Night Owl, insomniac or just really not getting along with someone at home he goes to the park long after dark when he could be alone. Under the cover of darkness and skateboarding alone chances are he wouldn’t cause a noise disturbance, let alone be a bother to anyone in anyone in the homes. Perhaps he did it for weeks or months, during late nights to early morning, without anyone knowing. The habit could have also led to him first targeting the Miyazawa home as he observed their late night habits, recognized them one by one and either started to stalk or follow them before committing their murders.

A few of the wrestling team members have apparent rage issues. And many have extremely athletic builds.

That makes sense or maybe it is just because climbing the tree or up to Rei’s balcony seem like physically daunting or taxing maneuvers to me. Truth be told though I have no upper body strength so it could be just me

 

[Sor Juana]

This also makes me wonder if by chance the perp somehow caught a glance of Miko using his PIN number or at least maybe one of them? Perhaps he was standing behind him online at a store or something and either watched him put it in his cellphone or pay real close attention as he used it to pay for something at the store and memorized it as best he could? He could have done this also standing behind him at an ATM. In addition to the rage, poor impulse control could the desire to access Mikio’s bank accounts played a role in the perp’s motives?

If so, I wonder why? Even he had somehow found, memorized or guessed the right PIN number for his cards using them would be risky because they can and would be tracked. Wasn’t he worried about getting caught? Especially after the police started investigating the Miyazawas horrific murders. If he couldn’t use the cards how would he get the money? Did he plan to somehow transfer the money to an untraceable or unidentifiable account? Did he even know how? Did he plan to go to an ATM and just take all cash out? Was he expecting help from someone? Or was the money meant for someone? If he was indeed moving out of Japan was he waiting until he and his family were in another country before accessing the accounts?

Why did he want the money? What he would he spend it on? Was he planning to go on the run from LE? Was he planning to run period? Maybe leave his family, the base or his identity completely by robbing Miyazawas? Was that his new plan once his parents moved abroad again? Did he anticipate the Japanese authorities not be able to trace him abroad after he depleted the funds available in Miko’s cards?

All the questions raised here are good. I think poor impulse control and rage, versus sneaking card pins over someone's shoulder and memorising numbers, are two different genres requiring distinct skill sets. In my opinion, they are mutually exclusive rather than complementary. Those prone to rage, like a volatile individual, cannot perform jobs that require focus and patience.

However, we don't know which behaviour category the killer belongs to, so we should consider both possibilities. The answers to your questions will then depend on the motive, which remains unknown.

One fact remains: he was interested in cards, though the extent of his interest is unclear. If he was indeed interested in actually using them later on, he could also have been interested in other documents. If the assumption is that he intended to use these for moving overseas or while overseas, perhaps even assuming Mikio's identity somewhere, then maybe he later abandoned that plan because nothing worked out. I guess the simplest answer to why he wanted the money is that he needed it.

 

[Charlot123]

It could be, but we don't know for sure. The fact that the killer demonstrated extreme brutality does not automatically prove psychopathy. There could be another condition.

Is There a Link Between Mental Health and Mass Shootings?

A) I always thought that mass shooters had Herostrates' syndrome
B) some types of seizure activity, perhaps?
People like this

Cleveland Elementary School shooting (San Diego) - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

(She had seizures and was off her meds during the shooting)
Or a Texas shooter
Or all these cases of "visual snow" that can have different origins?
Or GRK who likely, had brain damage with dissociations?
Or "Bitza maniac" who had brain damage at four with very likely seizure activity and compulsive tendencies?

Alexander Pichushkin - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

Long story short. I believe antiseizure drugs could offer some prevention

 

[Charlot123]

I would be highly sceptical about this train of thought about this being an attack of passion.

1) The knife has been bought earlier and was on the killer. Now unless we think the killer went back to his place and came back with a knife, in which case he lived nearby, then he came to the place with the intention to kill.

If he did indeed live nearby, then why spend atleast 2 hrs in the house where you just murdered everyone. Why not get what you want and run away to your own place? Again it doesn’t track with what we know the killer did later.

Not to mention the fact that there is no reason for him to change clothes or leave his hip bag if he lives close enough and already is well aware of the routes and destination.

2) the motive itself being discussed is incredibly thin in my view. I dunno why a personal gift card of the killer would be at the Miyazawas in the first place, and as for someone being inappropriate with Nina, I mean it could be possible but I feel like anyone remotely connected with the Miyazawas would have been investigated and inspected for injuries/ fingerprinted.

It is just an idea. I don't know what he was after. I just think that he initially walked through the front door, to retrieve something, and after a brief argumentative conversation with the Miyazawas, decided it would not happen. Then he walked out through the door, walked to the back, waited and got into the house via the back window. What it was we don't know so I just threw in some ideas.

 

[Charlot123]

Question to everyone, maybe someone knows.

Today, a person like Miyazawa would keep his money, probably, in cryptocurrency.

But in 2000, what would he invest into? How do they keep money in Japan?

The invader was looking for something small and didn't take all the money. I heard from many that in Japan, people don't keep a mound of "stuff" like we do, but have one, very beautiful thing.

So maybe they'd invest into a small rarity? I remember a detective story plot where they invested into a stamp. Something like this? Something from WWII? I just think the guy knew what it was, so, was from the same circles?

 

[MiniMoo]

Question to everyone, maybe someone knows.

Today, a person like Miyazawa would keep his money, probably, in cryptocurrency.

But in 2000, what would he invest into? How do they keep money in Japan?

The invader was looking for something small and didn't take all the money. I heard from many that in Japan, people don't keep a mound of "stuff" like we do, but have one, very beautiful thing.

So maybe they'd invest into a small rarity? I remember a detective story plot where they invested into a stamp. Something like this? Something from WWII? I just think the guy knew what it was, so, was from the same circles?

Japan back in 2000 was a strong cash based society so it wasn't uncommon for people to keep large sums of money in their homes.

Of course, banks would be another place for cash to be kept as well.

There were two sisters that had a massive stash of cash found inside a greenhouse or shed on their property somewhere in Tokyo I think - like the entire structure was choc-a-block to the hilt. Millions and millions!

That made the news and newspapers as a story.

As for investments it is individual - like one of my Japanese friends only bought first edition sports shoes worldwide so has an impressive collection of them whereas two Japanese friends invested in shares or stock now and then - nothing else other than saving their money. One was in his twenties and the other over 40 years of age at the time.

 

[MiniMoo]

A LITTLE OFF TOPIC

But an example of how some stash money in Japan only not quite like how these sisters did it.

Shimizu & Ishii Money Hoarding
^^^Full Article (2008) ^^^

I would have read this in the Japan Times at the time and only the once.

Seems it was in a garage and around US$56.4 million by the looks of the article. Osaka not Tokyo.

I thought a shed or greenhouse, but sometimes with the news the initial stories are a bit different to what comes out later at times especially when translated from Japanese to English.

About 50 cardboard boxes full of Japanese yen.

With the Miyazawa family it is highly unlikely a large sum like the above would have been kept on the premises, but that isn't to say that there would have only been petty cash lying around either.