Wow I am new here and this case is so astonishing on all levels—the multiple victim mentality, the perpetrator, and police. I am very unfamiliar with legal and enforcement laws in Japan (aside from the little bit that surfaced from Mr. Ghosn's escape). Thank you for including that bit of information! I am so gobsmacked about the unwavering law (excluding the cost of emotional trauma) into sentencing. I wonder how that fits in the legal system if at all. Thanks for sharing. I was totally engrossed.
To outsiders, the legal systems of all countries seem to have bizarre omissions and oversights -- and frequently to citizens of the countries themselves.
You may wish to check out my latest 3-part series, which revolves around the fact that until recently Japan had a 15-year statute of limitations on murder (!)
Thanks for recommendation. I will start from there. Some of my immediate questions include the philosophy behind the 15 year rule—is it a rehabilitation assumption? Also abuse in all forms doesn't seem to have a quantified equivalent in sentencing or listing of crimes...I will read across your work to find out...
I believe there were several reasons, including deterioration of evidence as well as some portion of rehabilitation assumption. I didn't have space to include it, but in my stories about Kazuko Fukuda her lawyers argued that passage of time from the crime should equal a decrease in punishment -- i.e. a "reward" of sorts for staying on the run.
Spoiler -- it didn't work in her case.
BTW If you're interested in other Japanese crime stuff, be sure to check out https://tokyopaladin.substack.com/ by Jake Adelstein, author of Tokyo Vice!
I tried to be fair to the police in a case in which there were gross errors made which could've led to a very different outcome. The temptation is to default to the modern layman's position, "of course the police are incompetent/evil!" etc. etc., which I why I went out of my way to address the entire psychological environment in which law enforcement must work.
Maybe I didn't make it clear enough they were innocent errors of procedure rather than judgement. I'm sure as a law enforcement retiree you've seen plenty of these heartbreaking occasions too.
You did not specify it applied to that case. You basically said LEOs have self pity. Self pity has never been a part of the makeup of any LEO I know. Ever.
Glad that's not been your experience! To clarify, I listed it with stress, addiction, and heart attacks -- obviously none of which are universal to all cops.
Heartbreaking and, at the same time, infuriating
Thanks for your comment!
In the research I don't set out to find cases like this, but I seem to stumble into them a lot!
Wow I am new here and this case is so astonishing on all levels—the multiple victim mentality, the perpetrator, and police. I am very unfamiliar with legal and enforcement laws in Japan (aside from the little bit that surfaced from Mr. Ghosn's escape). Thank you for including that bit of information! I am so gobsmacked about the unwavering law (excluding the cost of emotional trauma) into sentencing. I wonder how that fits in the legal system if at all. Thanks for sharing. I was totally engrossed.
Thanks for the comment!
To outsiders, the legal systems of all countries seem to have bizarre omissions and oversights -- and frequently to citizens of the countries themselves.
You may wish to check out my latest 3-part series, which revolves around the fact that until recently Japan had a 15-year statute of limitations on murder (!)
Thanks for recommendation. I will start from there. Some of my immediate questions include the philosophy behind the 15 year rule—is it a rehabilitation assumption? Also abuse in all forms doesn't seem to have a quantified equivalent in sentencing or listing of crimes...I will read across your work to find out...
I believe there were several reasons, including deterioration of evidence as well as some portion of rehabilitation assumption. I didn't have space to include it, but in my stories about Kazuko Fukuda her lawyers argued that passage of time from the crime should equal a decrease in punishment -- i.e. a "reward" of sorts for staying on the run.
Spoiler -- it didn't work in her case.
BTW If you're interested in other Japanese crime stuff, be sure to check out https://tokyopaladin.substack.com/ by Jake Adelstein, author of Tokyo Vice!
Crazy story. But zero mention of sexual abuse? Surprising.
There was no mention in any of the literature surrounding the case. Doesn't mean it didn't happen; if it was omertà it was absolute.
Thanks for the comment!
Very interesting case, but I could have done without your characterizing the police in general with “self pity.”
Signed,
Former resident of Japan who is retired from law enforcement
Thanks for you comment!
I tried to be fair to the police in a case in which there were gross errors made which could've led to a very different outcome. The temptation is to default to the modern layman's position, "of course the police are incompetent/evil!" etc. etc., which I why I went out of my way to address the entire psychological environment in which law enforcement must work.
Maybe I didn't make it clear enough they were innocent errors of procedure rather than judgement. I'm sure as a law enforcement retiree you've seen plenty of these heartbreaking occasions too.
You did not specify it applied to that case. You basically said LEOs have self pity. Self pity has never been a part of the makeup of any LEO I know. Ever.
Glad that's not been your experience! To clarify, I listed it with stress, addiction, and heart attacks -- obviously none of which are universal to all cops.