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

[Lalalacasbah]

About the scarf. I understand the scarf was a free type item given away at game centers, arcades, or uniform stores.. along those lines. It was well used like the bag so assumed used/worn(?) by the killer for awhile. It's the only item untraceable of origin. Coincidence or clue? Maybe I'm overthinking.

I still think that Town Seven/Ogikubo and arcade area(?) might be where they maybe crossed paths. I know I said this already... but if he didn't work or live right by Town Seven he could've went to multiple places to buy "supplies".

He seemed comfortable at Town Seven and knew his way around, where to go to get exactly what he needed. I guess if he hung out at a mall a lot he would know that too but maybe just shows his laziness like his blasé attitude about the house after the killings. I truly hope TMPD looked at all restaurant, arcade and store employees at Town Seven.

 

[Lalalacasbah]

There's a US (I think) writer/gamer reviewer that lived(lives?) in Ogikubo that made a post on his gaming review site back in 2008, I don't think I can post here (PM me if you'd like the link). Maybe @FacelessPodcast or @Incoherent might know who I mean?!

It's an interesting read because he describes in a very detailed manner about an arcade he loves - seconds walking distance from the exit of the Seiyu supermarket in Ogikubo in the basement of Town Seven.

He mentions walking past the bagel shop, rice shop, international grocery and through a winding passageway into the basement of the Town Seven building as he holds his breath walking past a fish market.

I have no idea if this was the structure of stores or the same in the building as it was in 2000. Article was written in 2008. @Incoherent might know if living there in 2000.

Regardless, you get a sense of the building and atmosphere, almost like being there. I imagine and wonder if the family ever walked those same places at all. I think their children maybe to young for the arcade but on the way to arcade you pass food/grocery stores so maybe same vicinity? MOO

 

[Charlot123]

Except the bathroom window wide open and the insect screen on the floor below it?
I could imagine the killer turning off all the lights before he escapes again to not be seen, but if he hadn’t escaped yet then I’m not sure of the likelihood of him carrying around cabinet drawers and throwing things everywhere, stepping over bodies, going up and down the stairs, eating and drinking etc, in pitch darkness.
At 3am either the lights were still on, or they weren’t and the window was wide open and screen on the floor. Both are noticeable in my opinion.

Nic has also already told us several times from his conversations with the chief that there were no witness sightings at all.

To quote the chief in Faceless “Japan is very good at collecting DNA, but terrible at using it”. Collecting DNA and having large databases won’t mean anything at all if the law still prevents it from being used in a way to find the killer, and at the moment it is still against the law. Setagaya city is currently fighting for this to be overturned but it is hugely unpopular in Japan due to people not wanting their privacy to be invaded in any other way.
It will be the usage laws that will change this case.

Until then, we have the TMPD and Nic doing the lord’s work trying to find him.

As you are closer to Japanese sources, have you ever come across the version that someone intentionally imitated continuous presence of the perpetrator in the house by first leaving it, and then entering later? I saw it somewhere online and I believe, the question was about the ability of a first-time perpetrator to stay in the house with four bodies, unless the person had severest mental illness.

(Can’t comment on what the Lord wants for fear of hubris, so I leave it up to you.)

 

[Incoherent]

I have a question.
I scoured through the threads but couldn't find whether or not it was already covered.

Do we know if the killer left the house with the lights on or not?
If he did, what were the lights that were still on?
If he didn't, did he leave any traces on the light switches when turning them off?
Was there any mention of this from Yasuko's mother or the police?

I'm the first to admit that ultimately it doesn't make a whole lot of difference but surely it would further suggest his route throughout the house, and if he did switch them off it would be really weird that he would go through them all after not caring about leaving traces.

Like the entrance point, just something random that has been bothering me lately.

It could be explained as many different situations, but looking back on pictures from that morning the porch light is still on here. Does it look like the light is also on in the window above the door? You can see the Irie’s porch light is off.
Looking back at the bathroom window which was found wide open the light in there also appears to be off.

All of these smaller details might be explained in An Irie’s book which I’m looking to get my hands on soon, as after Haruko she was the next one in the house I believe along with her husband.

 

[Janitor101]

Just a random question about the Miyazawa's activity during the late afternoon on Dec. 30.

We all know by now the Miyazawa's left their home presumably for a late shopping trip on the 30th. Were the TMPD able to retrace the family's steps with any success? Did they find evidence of any receipts, etc. from restaurants or from any store purchases inside their home?

 

[Cryptic]

No Ogikubo isn’t a rough area at all.

As for gambling, in the monetary sense, it is mostly illegal in Japan with very few exceptions. Back then almost strictly illegal. You cannot win money at pachinko, you can only win tickets that can be exchanged for prizes.

Thanks for your assessment of the Ogikubo area being very unlikely to be a hub of illegal or semi legal gambling. Another possibility is eliminated.

In regards to pachinko and prizes some illegal and quasi legal gambling places in my State have the same "play to win prizes" format.

And now the "but".....

"The house" charges inordinate amounts or money to play the games (money flows in). And.... the House then buys the won prizes back for hugely inflated prices (ohh so collector trinkets with serial numbers or chips- wink, nod). Money then flows out to the winners.

The goal is to offer gambling in actuality, but not be in violation of anti gambling laws in the technical sense. Rough Pachinko parlors in rough areas of Japan might follow the same format.

 

[Lalalacasbah]

Just a random question about the Miyazawa's activity during the late afternoon on Dec. 30.

We all know by now the Miyazawa's left their home presumably for a late shopping trip on the 30th. Were the TMPD able to retrace the family's steps with any success? Did they find evidence of any receipts, etc. from restaurants or from any store purchases inside their home?

I am curious what all TMPD know as well on this. I didn't search the thread for it!

I believe mentioned already on the thread somewhere and I share this thought - but was the killer going through their paperwork looking for a receipt to destroy if they frequented a business/establishment that is connected to the killer?

Call me crazy, but possibly either a connection with Town Seven and to be honest... deep down I still feel like this comes back to Yasuko (maybe her daughter as well).

Maybe there was an interaction with Yasuko (and possibly daughter) and the killer. Yasuko was a very striking, attractive woman. She was described as warm, friendly and generous. Perhaps a young man may easily get fixated/enthralled with her (arrogant stalker type who had nerve to take what he wanted from her and her family and relish in her home after).

Or maybe she inadvertently insulted him in a brief interaction (grudge, put down). I had a stalker situation before and it didn't take much! I took his order at the restaurant I worked at. Barely any interaction. Next thing he's following me home, following my roommate, hiding in the bush watching me leave work, leaving flowers secretly, etc.

I think it's possible even with ONE interaction, someone maybe zoned in on Yasuko. And if she gave any rejection or showed disinterest... And this isn't a romantic thing, an obsessive situation is about power over another. MOO JMO