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

[WhoDisDoe]

The Chinese character is Japanese. Unlike Vietnamese, normal day-to-day written Japanese still uses Chinese characters for many/most words - including numbers.

Er, @Incoherent and @FacelessPodcast have already explained this - sorry for adding confusion.

Forget Chinese. The article should simply state, “the number 6 was written on the statue in Japanese”, because that’s what it is. 六 is 6 in Japanese.

 

[Incoherent]

Hey all, summer is just beginning in Japan and it’s been a hot Sunday meaning I’ve spent time inside all day, and I of course ended up thinking of this case as usual when I get a lot of free time.

I decided to dig more into the student and son of a USAF member angle and found a large archive of yearbooks from Yokota High School which is the HS on the base.
If we go with the speculated age range given and the collective info we have here, do you think it’s possible he appears as a sophomore, junior or senior in these yearbooks? (Sorry if the terminology is incorrect I’m not very familiar with US names for ages in schools)

Here is a link to the archive, it covers the year 2000 which I feel like he would be in if the info we have is accurate. Funnily enough, 2001 is not available…
Yokota High School Yearbook Archives

I’ve had a quick look through 2000 and there are a few who fit his profile. They are large yearbooks.

I want to make it clear I am not accusing anyone in these yearbooks of the murder.

Simply, if the collective information we have is accurate… he could likely be in them.

Edit: the yearbooks of the 90’s would also be worth a look too, especially the later 90’s. But it’s a big job to look through all of them.

 

[Charlot123]

Hey all, summer is just beginning in Japan and it’s been a hot Sunday meaning I’ve spent time inside all day, and I of course ended up thinking of this case as usual when I get a lot of free time.

I decided to dig more into the student and son of a USAF member angle and found a large archive of yearbooks from Yokota High School which is the HS on the base.
If we go with the speculated age range given and the collective info we have here, do you think it’s possible he appears as a sophomore, junior or senior in these yearbooks? (Sorry if the terminology is incorrect I’m not very familiar with US names for ages in schools)

Here is a link to the archive, it covers the year 2000 which I feel like he would be in if the info we have is accurate. Funnily enough, 2001 is not available…
Yokota High School Yearbook Archives

I’ve had a quick look through 2000 and there are a few who fit his profile. They are large yearbooks.

I want to make it clear I am not accusing anyone in these yearbooks of the murder.

Simply, if the collective information we have is accurate… he could likely be in them.

Edit: the yearbooks of the 90’s would also be worth a look too, especially the later 90’s. But it’s a big job to look through all of them.

Question: I looked through the books of 1999 and 2000. I didn’t try to find the person looking the killer’s profile, because if I, say, find three, it will be ultimately unfair to at least the two, and more likely, to the three. But I enjoyed the fact that the books were made with love, obviously.

Question: they showed cars on a school parking lot. Sorry to ask, but are base car in the right, or left-driven configuration? How did they teach kids to drive. Usually driving classes are taken in the summer, maybe back in the US… And, given that Tokyo is a true megapolis with L-handed driving, were kids allowed to drive in the city?

 

[fridaybaker]

Hey all, summer is just beginning in Japan and it’s been a hot Sunday meaning I’ve spent time inside all day, and I of course ended up thinking of this case as usual when I get a lot of free time.

I decided to dig more into the student and son of a USAF member angle and found a large archive of yearbooks from Yokota High School which is the HS on the base.
If we go with the speculated age range given and the collective info we have here, do you think it’s possible he appears as a sophomore, junior or senior in these yearbooks? (Sorry if the terminology is incorrect I’m not very familiar with US names for ages in schools)

Here is a link to the archive, it covers the year 2000 which I feel like he would be in if the info we have is accurate. Funnily enough, 2001 is not available…
Yokota High School Yearbook Archives

I’ve had a quick look through 2000 and there are a few who fit his profile. They are large yearbooks.

I want to make it clear I am not accusing anyone in these yearbooks of the murder.

Simply, if the collective information we have is accurate… he could likely be in them.

Edit: the yearbooks of the 90’s would also be worth a look too, especially the later 90’s. But it’s a big job to look through all of them.

Any of them play drums???

 

[FacelessPodcast]

Following the murders, police deduced that the clothes, including a sweater, and knife left at the scene had been bought in Kanagawa Prefecture. Three kinds of powdered fluorescent dye were found on the trainers and bag left at the scene. In the pocket of the sweater, which had only gone on sale two months before the killings took place, traces of bird dropping, Japanese zelkova tree and willow leaves were found.

How true is this? Found from this article.

Setagaya family murders remain unsolved 23 years later

Police have renewed their appeal for any information from the public that might help solve the murders of a family of four in the house in Tokyo's Setagaya Ward 23 years ago. Last week, police handed out flyers appealing for information at Seijogakuenmae train station, as they have done each…

japantoday.com

The dye that is mentioned here — the latest thinking is that it’s common household stuff and actually tells the TMPD very little. This is why you’ll see “Mikio had the exact same dye in his garage.” Ignoring that the cops are adamant that this is the one room the killer never goes into, it stands to reason it’s because the fluorescent agent is common and household.

Re: the droppings and zelkova leaves, this is true as far as I understand. Though from prior conversations, it doesn’t seem to tell them much and these traces could easily be collected in Setagaya itself.

 

[FacelessPodcast]

Well, respectfully, first I don't think it has geographic boundaries, so we can't just define this sand by "Edwards Air Base."

RSMB: But this is the point — Californian research centres have all this sand logged. Lorna’s point is that it would be extremely easy to determine where the sand was from. It’s not to say that in mile 1-10, the sand is Edwards sand and at mile 11 is becomes Mojave sand. But in its literal sense, the sand does have geographic ID. She has given the location of a body down to the numbered sand dune. Re: CA, she knows the people at these centres, this could be determined in a day or two. The TMPD will not only not release a sand sample, they refuse to discuss it. I want to hear one single valid reason why. 2 years of this thread, a billion conversations with casuals and experts, both here in Japan — not one single reason why they wouldn’t.

 

[FacelessPodcast]

I know them, too. But here are the data not for America, but for Korea.

Creatrip: How The Average Height In Korea Changed Over The Years

Creatrip: How did the average height of Koreans grow 20 cm in 100 years? A history of heights of Koreans and a closer look into factors including food consumptions and preferences.

creatrip.com

My own source is purely visual: in my school district, 44% of students are Asian and it is the largest ethnic group. There may be individual variations, of course, but they are more related to individual family genetics. Moreover, specifically Korean young men are much into muscle mass so they are pumped up and look well. I have little reason to believe that it was different 20 years ago as I know many Koreans of my age. This is where my question is. The kid who fit Mikio's clothes, if from a base, either had to be younger, 14 or so, or - may not stand out in Japan now, but stand out in the US. @FacelessPodcast, having traveled to Japan and USA, surely you understand what I mean?

My question to @FacelessPodcast is even specific - as his poi was clearly postpubertal, and had Mikio's body type, he should be of approximately Mikio's size now, right? Does that hold?

I’m not sure I am understanding the question here. The killer has never been to Korea pre-2000. I would assume Japan has a red notice equivalent with Korea in place for him should he ever land at one of their airports. One of the few things we can be almost certain about is that the killer was not South Korean. Yet the TMPD say he has a size 10 shoe, give or take. My contention is that the killer is American — possibly Korean American. The killer was both taller than Mikio and, I assume stronger than him / larger than him. Certainly, this is the case of my POI. He did not have Mikio’s body type, he merely took one of his sweaters which looked baggy to me.

 

[FacelessPodcast]

I have an intuitive feeling that if we find Jizo statues with numbers on them, in the same place, that might lead somewhere.

Do you know where they are made/ordered?

The police dont have any details on the statue as I understand it. Which, in itself, I find interesting.

 

[FacelessPodcast]

Hey all, summer is just beginning in Japan and it’s been a hot Sunday meaning I’ve spent time inside all day, and I of course ended up thinking of this case as usual when I get a lot of free time.

I decided to dig more into the student and son of a USAF member angle and found a large archive of yearbooks from Yokota High School which is the HS on the base.
If we go with the speculated age range given and the collective info we have here, do you think it’s possible he appears as a sophomore, junior or senior in these yearbooks? (Sorry if the terminology is incorrect I’m not very familiar with US names for ages in schools)

Here is a link to the archive, it covers the year 2000 which I feel like he would be in if the info we have is accurate. Funnily enough, 2001 is not available…
Yokota High School Yearbook Archives

I’ve had a quick look through 2000 and there are a few who fit his profile. They are large yearbooks.

I want to make it clear I am not accusing anyone in these yearbooks of the murder.

Simply, if the collective information we have is accurate… he could likely be in them.

Edit: the yearbooks of the 90’s would also be worth a look too, especially the later 90’s. But it’s a big job to look through all of them.

For obvious reasons, I’m not going to be discussing this.

 

[fridaybaker]

RSMB: But this is the point — Californian research centres have all this sand logged. Lorna’s point is that it would be extremely easy to determine where the sand was from. It’s not to say that in mile 1-10, the sand is Edwards sand and at mile 11 is becomes Mojave sand. But in its literal sense, the sand does have geographic ID. She has given the location of a body down to the numbered sand dune. Re: CA, she knows the people at these centres, this could be determined in a day or two. The TMPD will not only not release a sand sample, they refuse to discuss it. I want to hear one single valid reason why. 2 years of this thread, a billion conversations with casuals and experts, both here in Japan — not one single reason why they wouldn’t.

It sounds to me like TMPD has made a firm decision that they will not pursue any lead if that leads takes them in the direction of an American suspect. Right?

 

[FacelessPodcast]

It sounds to me like TMPD has made a firm decision that they will not pursue any lead if that leads takes them in the direction of an American suspect. Right?

I have placed my deep respect on record for their work and the Chief. I am yet to come up with another reason for it. And I am open to it, believe me. My opinion changes as the facts do.

 

[fridaybaker]

Wow. Yokata High is a small school. I did a quick count and think there were about 59 seniors listed in the 1990 yearbook. Interesting.

 

[fridaybaker]

Meant the 2000 yearbook

 

[Auntie Cipation]

The dye that is mentioned here — the latest thinking is that it’s common household stuff and actually tells the TMPD very little. This is why you’ll see “Mikio had the exact same dye in his garage.” Ignoring that the cops are adamant that this is the one room the killer never goes into, it stands to reason it’s because the fluorescent agent is common and household.

Re: the droppings and zelkova leaves, this is true as far as I understand. Though from prior conversations, it doesn’t seem to tell them much and these traces could easily be collected in Setagaya itself.

What would the function of the fluorescent dye be, that would be a common household item? The only kind I can think of that isn't some specialty craft item would be something like carpenters powdered chalk for snapping a straight line. Though that's not really dye, and probably not fluorescent.

 

[Charlot123]

I’m not sure I am understanding the question here. The killer has never been to Korea pre-2000. I would assume Japan has a red notice equivalent with Korea in place for him should he ever land at one of their airports. One of the few things we can be almost certain about is that the killer was not South Korean. Yet the TMPD say he has a size 10 shoe, give or take. My contention is that the killer is American — possibly Korean American. The killer was both taller than Mikio and, I assume stronger than him / larger than him. Certainly, this is the case of my POI. He did not have Mikio’s body type, he merely took one of his sweaters which looked baggy to me.

Respectfully, we don't know of what group the killer was and even less, his personal story. We don't even know if he is alive. I came to the conclusion that this is a pure DNA case, and I also believe that life will prompt Japan to change their prohibitive DNA laws, and soon. I can imagine many blocks on the way of genetic testing, one of them might be NPE event in the family, or adoption. But in principle, it is all doable. But, with DNA only.

Honestly, what looks most questionable in your military base theory? Any base, much more the foreign one, is "a state in a state." I looked through the yearbooks. There seemed to be a lot of diversity in Yokota base, but it was an island of US culture, maybe much more so than the US itself. And they were busy, these kids, with sports, thespian society, comp labs, or music. Now, the murders happened during the break. But the way it happened, the murderer, it the hit was random, had to be exceptionally impulsive but also exceptionally smart. For some reasons, it doesn’t look like it to me. Or else, he had to observe the Miyazawas for a long time. But, it doesn't look this way, as a school kid on Yokota base was not free to roam around Tokyo.

Now, "Korean" vs "Japanese" vs "Chinese" is still unclear. If we are thinking, "he is an American and half-Asian", why not a mere guy with a Caucasian mother and a Japanese father, living in the US and periodically coming to visit grandparents in Tokyo? This looks more like the profile, school is over, he flew in again and is flying back towards the New Year?

 

[WhoDisDoe]

What would the function of the fluorescent dye be, that would be a common household item?

Thought I remembered someone mentioning it could be dye from a highlighter marker for example. Which would especially make sense if the murderer was a student at the time.

 

[Charlot123]

Thought I remembered someone mentioning it could be dye from a highlighter marker for example. Which would especially make sense if the murderer was a student at the time.

I think there was a match between fluorescent dye found in the murderer’s things and one of the dyes kept in Miyazawa’s house.

 

[Interested_But_Confused]

What would the function of the fluorescent dye be, that would be a common household item? The only kind I can think of that isn't some specialty craft item would be something like carpenters powdered chalk for snapping a straight line. Though that's not really dye, and probably not fluorescent.

It might be something like drain tracing dye. It's often powdered, comes in many colours, and is usually flourescent so it's easy to spot even in a dark area. But it would be curious to find the exact same dye on the killer and in the Miyazawas garage if the killer never went in the garage.

 

[FacelessPodcast]

Respectfully, we don't know of what group the killer was and even less, his personal story. We don't even know if he is alive. I came to the conclusion that this is a pure DNA case, and I also believe that life will prompt Japan to change their prohibitive DNA laws, and soon. I can imagine many blocks on the way of genetic testing, one of them might be NPE event in the family, or adoption. But in principle, it is all doable. But, with DNA only.

RSBM: no, we don’t know — that’s why I said my contention is, and not I am certain that.

We don’t know he’s alive, no. But if the TMPD are right about his age range, which they revised down very recently, then he would be as young as 40. So if he’s dead, it’s not of old age.

We do, however, know that he was able to access Edwards on some level. We know that he is not from Korea. And we know that if he’s Japanese, he’s able to survive in the shadows for 24 years from the age, supposedly, of around 15. Him simply being American makes more sense to me given his ‘magical’ disappearance and his access to that base.

Re: the DNA laws. The Setagaya Council put forward their official opinion to the central government in favour of changing. So that’s positive. But there is very, very low demand for giving the police more powers in Japan and a near non-existent crime rate. Couple this with the glacial rate of change in Japan (Ryushi’s word), I’m not sure how “soon” it will actually be.

Honestly, what looks most questionable in your military base theory? Any base, much more the foreign one, is "a state in a state." I looked through the yearbooks. There seemed to be a lot of diversity in Yokota base, but it was an island of US culture, maybe much more so than the US itself. And they were busy, these kids, with sports, thespian society, comp labs, or music. Now, the murders happened during the break. But the way it happened, the murderer, it the hit was random, had to be exceptionally impulsive but also exceptionally smart.

Why does he have to be exceptional on any level? As I’ve said many times, these kids had access to cars. They’re learning from a very young age (in comparison to EU standards). It’s not beyond the wit of man to get into your car / dad’s car / jump on a train.

For some reasons, it doesn’t look like it to me. Or else, he had to observe the Miyazawas for a long time. But, it doesn't look this way, as a school kid on Yokota base was not free to roam around Tokyo.

False. I have spoken with many people on Yokota. They were absolutely free to travel into Tokyo. There are videos from the time period of kids doing this very thing on YouTube etc. RE: how long the killer observed the family, I don’t have a strong opinion. The only thing I’m fairly certain on is that he didn’t break in randomly to the first house he saw.

Now, "Korean" vs "Japanese" vs "Chinese" is still unclear. If we are thinking, "he is an American and half-Asian", why not a mere guy with a Caucasian mother and a Japanese father, living in the US and periodically coming to visit grandparents in Tokyo?

Well, according to Dr. M —the only person to have analysed the killer’s DNA and have spoken publicly about the matter— the mother is not Caucasian but has some sort of Mediterranean ancestry. Now I’ve spoken many times about the flawed conclusions that can be drawn from this somewhat misleading statement. Having since spoken to Dr. M, I have my doubts about how much was *his* opinion and how much was leaked from his lab which has since been attributed to him by history. But re: your theory, yes — it could’ve been such a person. But again, a person that’s able to get on to Edwards. And a person that would never again be able to return to Japan after 2007 when the fingerprinting system comes into play at airports. Now, he could simply opt to take up Japanese nationality but Japan does not allow dual nationals. So now he would be locking himself into a country where he’s the most wanted fugitive. It doesn’t really fit. Again, it’s possible. But what single solid reason have you got against my theory? The fact that Yokota is diverse? That the kids were busy with their clubs? I’m not really understanding.

This looks more like the profile, school is over, he flew in again and is flying back towards the New Year?

We also know that the Chief had men at the airports very early on. That they were looking for men with hand injuries all over the city pretty much instantly. Is it possible he went from the house directly to the airport? I guess so. But not one single person there remembered a young man with a hand injury? He’s not picked up by one camera? He doesn’t stand out on any single manifest? (We know the Chief was going over them early on).

Again, I can’t say with any certainty that the killer IS a military brat that used Yokota to both hide and leave Japan beyond the reaches of the TMPD. Only that it fits the facts and, after 15 years of following this case, I haven’t personally seen a more convincing theory. When I do, I’ll trade up! JMO

 

[FacelessPodcast]

I think there was a match between fluorescent dye found in the murderer’s things and one of the dyes kept in Miyazawa’s house.

Exactly this. Most likely a highlighter pen.