News
 International
   Global Views
   Asia-Pacific
   America
   Europe
   Middle East & Africa
 National
 Embassy News
 Arts & Living
 Business
 Travel & Hotel
 Medical Tourism New
 Taekwondo
 Media
 Letters to Editor
 Photo Gallery
 News Media Link
 TV Schedule Link
 News English
 Life
 Hospitals & Clinics
 Flea Market
 Moving & Packaging
 Religious Service
 Korean Classes
 Korean Weather
 Housing
 Real Estate
 Home Stay
 Room Mate
 Job
 English Teaching
 Translation/Writing
 Job Offered/Wanted
 Business
 Hotel Lounge
 Foreign Exchanges
 Korean Stock
 Business Center
 PR & Ads
 Entertainment
 Arts & Performances
 Restaurants & Bars
 Tour & Travel
 Shopping Guide
 Community
 Foreign Missions
 Community Groups
 PenPal/Friendship
 Volunteers
 Foreign Workers
 Useful Services
 ST Banner Exchange
  Asia-Pacific
Letters from Tokyo
Lindsay Ann Hawker: Verdict Is Life in Prison But Eligible for Parole after 10 Years
By Lee Jay Walker
Tokyo Correspondent
Lindsay Ann Hawker

The verdict in the Lindsay Ann Hawker case was announced today (July, 21) and the judgment was life imprisonment for Tatsuya Ichihashi but in Japan this means that he may be able to get parole after 10 years depending on various factors. It had been stated that the father of Lindsay Ann Hawker had wanted the death penalty but this was never likely to happen. Therefore, the judgment of life imprisonment was always the most likely outcome and when the sentence was announced Tatsuya Ichihashi remained unattached and showed no emotion.

Currently it remains unclear if the Hawker family understands the reality of a life sentence in Japan because it is possible that Tatsuya Ichihashi may be released after ten years because he would be entitled for parole providing he met certain conditions. However, it is likely that he will serve at least twenty years.

Irrespective if the verdict meets the wishes of the Hawker family they simply have to draw a line under the legal issue and continue to re-build. Obviously, Lindsay Ann Hawker will always be in their hearts until the day they die and the pain and suffering must be unbearable.

Sadly, evil things like this happen to unfortunate families all over the world and questions of ¡°why¡± or ¡°if only¡± can never change anything. The radiant love of Lindsay Ann Hawker ¡°stays within the heart¡± and clearly she would not want her family to suffer more pain, depression, anguish, and heartbreak.

The feelings of the Hawker family can only be understood by other families who have suffered at the hands of an individual who not only took away ¡°a precious life¡± but did so in such a brutal way.

Lindsay Ann Hawker came to Japan with good intentions and Tatsuya Ichihashi abused both her naivety and innocence. Little did she know that Tatsuya Ichihashi had such brutality within his heart and mind therefore her final hours on this earth were pure hell.

The Hawker family will leave Japan and see little of the real beauty of this nation and the gentle nature of the overwhelming majority of individuals in this country.

In truth, the murder is not about ethnicity, nation, legal system and other factors; it is about the sad reality that people are killed all over the world by evil individuals who care little about the life of others. These individuals often fear the death penalty or being locked away but they don¡¯t mind destroying entire families and killing in such a brutal way.

Obviously the Hawker family has suffered greatly and part of them will be ¡°ghosts of their former selves.¡± They will continue to suffer but the only hope is that in time all mention of the name Tatsuya Ichihashi will be forgotten and instead only ¡°the smiling loving Lindsay Ann Hawker will remain.¡±

The Joji Obara (Kim Sung Jong) case did not bring justice to the family of Lucie Blackman. On the contrary, it rubbed the most painful salt into the wound.

In my article called Lindsay Ann Hawker: does the Joji Obara/ Kim Sung Jong case provide pointers? I state the following:

¡°It must be stated that all nations have cases of miscarriages of justice and no legal system is perfect. However, the Joji Obara case does worry many individuals because how did this individual escape the countless number of rapes that he did and the killing of Carita Ridgway in 1992?¡±

¡°Joji Obara (Kim Sung Jong) had been raping women for over a decade and he had hundreds of personal videos of raping women. Indeed, the police stated that he may have raped up to 400 women but the figure could even be higher. ¡°

¡°However, are we to believe that every female who was raped by Joji Obara did not seek justice for what this serial rapist did? Not only this, the death of Carita Ridgway took place in 1992.¡±

¡°Yet, despite everything Joji Obara was acquitted of the crime of Lucie Blackman¡¯s rape and death. Judge Tsutomu Tochigi commented that ¡°There is nothing to prove that [Obara] was involved in the rape and her death. The court cannot prove he was single-handedly involved in her death.¡°

¡°Indeed, the fact that this brutal serial rapist had video tapes to confirm the twisted nature of Joji Obara; and the fact the body of Lucie Blackman was so close to the home of Joji Obara; all this counted for nothing.¡±

¡°Therefore, for many people it appears that a huge miscarriage of justice took place in the Lucie Blackman and Carita Ridgway case (not forgetting all the women who were raped).¡±

The verdict today in the Lindsay Ann Hawker case may or may not have been what the Hawker family had expected. However, I hope that this is the final chapter in the court case because if it isn¡¯t then the pain and suffering will continue to hurt even more because of no solace and escape.

Lindsay Ann Hawker was taken from this world in such a violent manor and no words can express the sympathies of so many people.

http://moderntokyotimes.com/2011/07/14/lindsay-ann-hawker-does-the-joji-obara-case-provide-pointers/ (Written shortly before the final verdict – July 14)

http://www.lindsayannhawker.com/
http://moderntokyotimes.com

The above article is from the Modern Tokyo Times.



Related Articles
    Myanmar, Bangladesh Sign an Accord but ...
    Japan Hopes to Boost Ties with Myanmar
    Drugs Crisis in Iran Emanating from Afghanistan
    Mexico Resembles a Civil War: Three Murders ...
    "Door Remains Open," French President Says
    President Trump and Ousted FBI Chief Comey: ...
    Moon Jae-in to Become President of South ...
    America, China, Russia Should Work Together on ...
    The Fading Spirit of Kano Chikanobu Awakened ...
    Japanese Poetry of Kakinomoto no Hitomaro: ...
    Trump Offers China Economic Inducements If ...
    Syria & Khan al-Assal Massacre: Western ...
    United States Botanic Garden and Stunning Art ...
    Syria: FSA and Al-Qaeda in Power Struggle
    Syria and the Sponsored Revolution Costing ...
    South Korean Fashion and Kpopsicle: Summer ...
    Syria and Shia Massacred by al-Nusra: Gulf and ...
    Turkey & Discontent towards Premier Erdogan: ...
    UK, MI5 and Syria: Hypocrites, Somalia and ...
    Christian Clergy in Syria Held Hostage by the ...
    China and Japan Play Cat and Mouse over ...
    Cameroon and Nigeria: French Hostages Released ...
    Alyse Radenovic, Bratunac and Srebrenica: Art ...
    Japanese Art and Bunjinga: Tani Buncho, Power ...
    Italian Fashion and Simonetta Sala: Adorable ...
    France, UK Want to Send Military Arms Directly ...
    Political Crisis in Tunisia after Belaid ...
    World of Art: Yuzo Saeki and Alyse Radenovic ...
    Nuclear Test by North Korea and Need for a ...
    Israel Violates the Sovereignty of Syria
    Egypt, Muslim Brotherhood: President Mursi ...
    Japan Art: Erotic Art, Sexuality and ...
    Algeria Hostage Crisis: Japan Needs to ...
    Syria and Bashar al-Assad Addresses Powerful ...
    US, France, UK Support Islamism
    LDP Wins Election in Japan
    FSA Islamists in Syria threaten to kill ...
    Syria Needs Support to Defend Itself against ...
    Egypt, Jordan and Turkey: Political Crisis and ...
    Japanese Art, Culture and the Yamabushi: ...
    Israel, Gaza and Doha: The Sham of the Western ...
    Syria & New Charade: Gulf Nations Should ...
    Tokyo Fashion and the Exquisite Boutique ...
    Sudan, South Sudan Crisis & Int'l Community
    Claude Monet Was Smitten by Japanese Art: ...
    Japan Tourism and Fukushima: Abukuma Cave, ...
    Japanese Art and Saburosuke Okada: the Power ...
    Japanese Art and Tosa School: Tosa Mitsunobu ...
    Syria and Terrorist Threat from Opposition: ...
    Russian Federation Lambasts Anti-Syria ...
    Syria: Outsiders Support Terrorism and US & ...
    Japanese Art and Bunjinga (Nanga): the ...
    Ontoshiki Is a Stunning Photographer in Tokyo: ...
    Japanese Art and Van Gogh: Japonisme, Ukiyo-e ...
    Associated Press Opens a Bureau in Pyongyang
    Fashion in South Korea: Kpopsicle & the trends ...
    Japanese Buddhist Art at the National Museum ...
    Japanese tourism: Jigokudani Monkey Park in ...
    South Korean Fashion: Kpopsicle, International ...
    BoA Releases Stunning New Song "Milestone"
    K-Pop and New Mini-Album Called "Snow Pink" by ...
    La Carmina and Tokyo: Alternative Fashion, ...
    K-Pop and T-ara in Japan: Stylish, Energetic ...
    Kanstyle Magazine to Open Up South Korean ...
    Tokyo Fashion: Jiyugoaka Is Trendy and a Great ...
    Korean Pop Music Continues to Hit Heights in ...
    Yoshihiko Noda to Become New Prime Minister of ...
    Japan and the Political Farce: The Race Is On ...
    Tokyo tourism: Mount Takao-san Is a Stunning ...
    Ryo Ishikawa: Near to Making a Breakthrough at ...
    Hokusai & Hakone: Ukiyo-e & Stunning Scenery
    Lindsay Ann Hawker: Does the Joji Obara/ Kim ...
    Burma (Myanmar): Free Burma Rangers update
    Japan & Child Abduction: Interview with Sonia ...
    Novak Djokovic Beats Rafael Nadal to Claim ...
    Kawanabe Kyosai: the Underworld and the ...
    Tatsuya Ichihashi Admits to Killing Lindsay ...
    Utagawa Kuniyoshi: Tranquil Art and Natural ...
    Southern Thailand and Islamization
    Islamic Terrorism: Afghanistan to Bosnia and ...
    IslamicJihad within the Territory of Russia
    Muslims Burn a Christian Alive in Pakistan
    Radical Islam and Terrorism in the Balkans
    Pakistan and Ongoing Christian Persecution
    Turkey Is Trying to Dictate to Armenia
    Bosnia and Clinton's Radical Islamists
    Iraq's Jewish Identity Faces Extinction
    Muslims Slaughter Christians in Egypt
    Somalia and the Reality of Radical Islam
    Racist Ishihara Fails to Get 2016 Olympic Games
    Daily Life in Japan and Isolation
    USA and the Internal Islamic Threat
    Indonesia and Ba¡¯asyir, the Preacher of Hate
    Nigeria and Christian Martyrs
    Indonesia and Islamic Terrorism
    Aceh in Indonesia Passes Stoning to Death Law
    2016 Olympic Bid and Racist Governor of Tokyo
    Randy Collins and Child Abduction in Japan
    Islamic Militants Target Buddhists in Thailand
    Bangladesh Destroys Hinduism, Buddhism
    Child Abduction in Japan: Shane Clarke Case
    Islamic Ramadan Begins, Blood Keeps Flowing
    Kosovo and Ongoing De-Christianization
    USA Appeases Islam under President Obama
    Somalia, UK, and Killing of Christians
    Buddhists Fear to Walk in Southern Thailand
    Pakistan Must Abolish the Blasphemy Law
    Pakistan and Burning Alive of Christians
    Nigeria Challenged by Radical Islamists
    Somalia and Christian Martyrs Killed by Muslims
    KOSOVO & Systematic Persecution by KLA
    Japan Ignores Child Abduction because of Racism
    Japan Allows International Child Abduction
    Ethiopia Continues to Develop under EPRDF
    Saudi Arabia and Why Child Marriage Is Allowed
    China Faces a Fresh Bout of Ethnic Hatred
    Islam and the Myths of Unity and Peace
    IRAN Enters a Political Minefield alongside ...
    Islam Needs to Be Challenged by True Democracy
    North Korea's Point of View
    Myanmar: Ethnic Minorities & Aung San Suu Kyi
    Colombia and Extrajudicial Killings Scandal
    IRAQ and the Destruction of the Mandaean ...
    Non-Arabs of the Middle East and Persecution
    USA Is Worried about Events in Pakistan
    USA, CIA Created Sunni Islamic Terrorism
    Pakistan Faces Internal Threat
    N. Korea Pulls Out of 6-Party Talks because of ...
    Japan under Ishihara Must Not Be Given the ...
    USA Is Looking at Plan Colombia in Order to ...
    MYANMAR – Karen Christians Face Joint ...
    Bolivia under Morales and the Indigenous Issue
    Mexico -- Drug Cartels and the American Market
    Saudi Arabia Allowing 8 Year Old Girls to ...
    USA -- Bail Outs Must Be Questioned after AIG ...
    Ethiopia under Prime Minister Meles Zenawi
    Europe Is Facing a Real Economic and Social ...
    USA is Deeply Concerned about Pakistan and ...
    USA -- Obama Is in Free Fall at the Moment
    Japan Must Not Be Rewarded the 2016 Olympics ...
    China, Russia Rebuke America at World Economic ...
    PAKISTAN -- Radical Sunni Islamists Are Now ...
    EU Is Alarmed by Gas Dispute between Russia ...
    USA -- Obama Faces Major Internal and External ...
    Zimbabwe Now Faces Cholera Epidemic alongside ...
    Pakistan and the Persecution of Ahmadiyya ...
    USA -- President Bush Is Trying to Contain ...
    India Becomes Yet Another Major Victim of ...
    Japan Needs to Create an Independent Foreign ...
    Mongolia and The Importance of This Nation to ...
    Islamic Radicals Support Stoning Women, ...
    Inflation Threatens to Engulf Vietnam and The ...
    Turkey and The Secular Card, Myth or Reality?
    Ethiopian Ambassador to Japan and Third ...
    SOUTH AFRICA, Race Attacks and Underlying ...
    EGYPT -- Coptic Christians Are Still ...
    Ethiopia Needs International Support to ...
    Armenia and Azerbaijan Are Still in Dispute ...
    Kosovo and the Crisis of Ignoring ...
    The UN Is Undemocratic and Manipulated, So ...
    America Is Seeking to Contain the Russian ...
    Iran Is a Stabilizing Power in Afghanistan and ...
    Venezuela -- Chavez the Enigma, a Great or ...
    Lebanon Needs to Dismantle the Armed Forces of ...
    Iraq and Destruction of Christianity since ...
    Bolivia Is Facing Meltdown So Can a Solution ...
    Macedonia Could Become the Next Balkan ...
    Russia Faces Many Security Concerns
    State Intervention Versus Globalization and ...
    Ethiopia and Its War against Radical Islam and ...
    PM Fukuda of Japan Resigns and This Nation Is ...
    Japan Needs Stability in a Time of Urgency
    Russia Responds to America's Intimidation
    Russian Federation & Next Stage of Development ...
    Market Confidence Remains Extremely Mixed
    Why China Needs to Modernize Her Armed Forces
    MEXICO -- President Calderon Is in a Flux ...
    Iran and America, Friends or Foe
    Georgia Took a Huge Gamble in South Ossetia ...
    Japan and the Suicide Problem
    Zimbabwe: Can Morgan Tsvangirai, Arthur ...


Lee Jay Walker serves as Tokyo Correspondent of The Seoul Times. He specializes in int'l relations and geopolitics. He is also involved in analyst work and research on business. After finishing BA degree in East European Studies at the University of London, he earned MA degree in Asia Pacific Studies at Nottingham Trent University. Website at http://www.leejaywalker.wordpress.com where work is published.

 

back

 

 

 

The Seoul Times, Shinheung-ro 36ga-gil 24-4, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, Korea 04337 (ZC)
Office: 82-10-6606-6188 Email:seoultimes@gmail.com Publisher & Editor: Joseph Joh
Copyrights 2000 The Seoul Times Company  ST Banner Exchange