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

[WhoDisDoe]

Two things that I would like to bring to everyone's attention in case it wasn't noticed:

- The Yearbooks disappeared from the website. Now it just says "This site is under construction" and the archives are not accessible anymore. Doesn't necessarily mean anything but it is a weird coincidence.
- Just 1 week ago the Wikipedia page was modified and "cleaned". Nic and his podcast are cited more than once and there are more "hypotheticals" than before, instead of citing everything as "facts". Of course it's still Wikipedia we are talking about so there are still many, many issues with the page itself.

Make of all of this what you will.

Here are the changelogs for the Wikipedia page: Setagaya family murder: Revision history - Wikipedia

Looks like several users have made edits, but maybe Drownsoda99 made the most substantial ones (and cited Nic).

Good find re: the yearbooks. I wonder what happened there.

 

[WhoDisDoe]

DBM (duplicate)

 

[vls12345]

We will soon be at 24 years for this unsolved massacre of the Miyazawa family.

Thinking of this case & the Miyazawa family today because I saw an announcement about Japan Airlines calendars for the upcoming year for sale (since we had previous discussion about the JAL calendar hanging beside/behind the family in a photo).

Hoping resolution is in sight for the upcoming year.

 

[Eliver]

The Yearbooks are back online with no noticeable changes.

Must have been nothing.

 

[Lalalacasbah]

The Yearbooks are back online with no noticeable changes.

Must have been nothing.

Maybe some type of server upgrade, migration or patching where they have to take the site down for awhile? Interesting none the less. Good catch!

 

[Beachlife926]

I might of missed this being discussed or don’t remember, but from the article below (translate to English)

Injured man​

“There was also an investigation that went behind. On the evening of the day after the incident, at Tobu Nikko Station in Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture, the station staff was treating a man with a hand injury. However, the investigation was postponed because "there was no way to bleed and get on the train", and the investigators went to the site about 10 months later. The man who received the wound treatment is still not identified.”

［世田谷一家殺害２０年］＜上＞照合した指紋は５０００万件、今なお増える犯人資料

【読売新聞】　東京都世田谷区にある警視庁成城署の地下２階に、限られた捜査員しか知らない倉庫がある。約６０センチ四方の小さな扉から身をかがめて入ると、薄暗い室内の棚に１５０冊以上のファイルが並べられている。 ２０００年１２月３０日深夜

www.yomiuri.co.jp

 

[Incoherent]

I might of missed this being discussed or don’t remember, but from the article below (translate to English)

Injured man​

“There was also an investigation that went behind. On the evening of the day after the incident, at Tobu Nikko Station in Nikko City, Tochigi Prefecture, the station staff was treating a man with a hand injury. However, the investigation was postponed because "there was no way to bleed and get on the train", and the investigators went to the site about 10 months later. The man who received the wound treatment is still not identified.”

［世田谷一家殺害２０年］＜上＞照合した指紋は５０００万件、今なお増える犯人資料

【読売新聞】　東京都世田谷区にある警視庁成城署の地下２階に、限られた捜査員しか知らない倉庫がある。約６０センチ四方の小さな扉から身をかがめて入ると、薄暗い室内の棚に１５０冊以上のファイルが並べられている。 ２０００年１２月３０日深夜

www.yomiuri.co.jp

Episode 3 of Faceless covers the man who was being treated at Tobu Nikko Station. I highly recommend you listen to that for a more detailed explanation about it.
Ryushi questioned the station staff and press office but was declined a comment about him, and was told they’re unable to talk about it. Chief Tsuchita says the man is unrelated to the case.

As far as we know he has never been identified and no one is sure where he went after that, though.

The Japanese in the article you linked says “there’s no way he’d get on a train bleeding like that” stating their disbelief he’d be on the train without being seen in the first place due to the severity of his injury. Furthermore, it’s a terminus station and the only way via train is going back the way he came if he rode it there and he wasn’t seen anywhere after that.

 

[Eliver]

The 24th anniversary is approaching and I keep coming back to this case.

I guess what draws me so much to it, while also being so hopeful of a resolution, is that I'm basically the same age as Niina and Rei.

I want to believe it's still possible to apprehend the culprit.

 

[Lalalacasbah]

The 24th anniversary is approaching and I keep coming back to this case.

I guess what draws me so much to it, while also being so hopeful of a resolution, is that I'm basically the same age as Niina and Rei.

I want to believe it's still possible to apprehend the culprit.

I was thinking about them last night as well (and JonBenet Ramsey as I've been kinda into a thread with that!), being close to Christmas and all.

I was thinking the 2 cases I think I'd want solved the most is this one and JonBenet.

ETA: Strangely, I feel like these 2 cases could burst wide open if different paths were taken with the DNA as well.

 

[cenazoic]

Chief Tsuchita says the man is unrelated to the case.

As far as we know he has never been identified and no one is sure where he went after that, though.

If he’s never been identified, how does the chief know he’s unrelated?

(Even though it seems likely he’s probably unrelated, those two statements seem to be a logical inconsistency.)

 

[Incoherent]

If he’s never been identified, how does the chief know he’s unrelated?

(Even though it seems likely he’s probably unrelated, those two statements seem to be a logical inconsistency.)

As far as we know. This does not apply to the chief. If the chief says he’s unrelated it indicates he likely knows something we don’t.

The station staff and press office for Tobu Nikko being unable to comment at all is another indication. The TMPD and police in Japan in general often don’t feel obligated to share much outside of a need-to-know basis with the public. As frustrating as it may be it’s the way it works here.

 

[cenazoic]

Well, of course. I’m just saying that, without knowing who the man is, how might it be possible to know he’s also unrelated to the crime?

 

[Loso]

Finished reading through all the threads, literally made an account just so I could view all the images posted

This case is fascinating & puzzling

Frustrating that it could've been solved or at the very least the killer identified years ago if the DNA could be used

 

[Lalalacasbah]

Finished reading through all the threads, literally made an account just so I could view all the images posted

This case is fascinating & puzzling

Frustrating that it could've been solved or at the very least the killer identified years ago if the DNA could be used

Welcome to Websleuths! It is a mind boggling and devastatingly sad case... Still holding out hope for it being solved.

 

[Incoherent]

I had a bit of free time this evening so decided to visit Soshigaya Park. I visited after sunset at around 18:00, and it was very busy and noisy. Full of teenagers, tennis players, skateboarders, mothers and children, and people jogging and working out.

There is some large construction going on and I wanted to see what it was about. It turns out that the city has demolished the small apartment block at the very north of the park. It would not surprise me if they’re approaching the Miyazawa house sooner rather than later.

I wasn’t able to take too many photos because of how many people were around, and I didn’t want to look strange or suspicious going so close to the house. It was also after sunset and my phone camera isn’t fantastic in the dark but I thought I’d share with those interested.

We have had the longest and hottest summer since records began (I believe) here in Japan so the leaves have not all fallen yet even though it’s already approaching mid December.

Anyway I’m rambling. Some photos:





Front images of the Miyazawa side. As you can see it is very overgrown now, it was hard to get a picture due to all the branches.

The steps where the family sat to take their family photos that you’ve all likely seen by now.

The bathroom window. I want to reiterate just how small that window is. It is even smaller in person and difficult to believe someone could fit into or out of it, unless they were a very slim teenager.

View from the middle of the kids park. As you can see the window was in plain sight and viewable to anyone in the park.

Back of the house with its big plastic wall.

The shrine directly to the right of the park and the view of it when you stand there. You can see the wall that covers that back of the house. This is where the houses that look down upon Soshigaya Park are located too. Anyone up there could have seen that window.

If there’s any questions about the park or surroundings feel free to ask.

 

[Eliver]

As always, thank you for the in-depth posts Incoherent.

Just a couple of questions:
1. Apart from reinforcing the entrance with the walls due to the stunt made by students last year, wasn't there a police officer standing around the house? I may be misremembering and a police officer has not been there in years.
2. Judging by the pictures, you managed to get pretty close to the house. Or were you just zooming? If you actually got so close, even though I know there is a fence, I'm quite surprised it's so easily "accessed", so to say.
3. Were there any signs in the are about plans to demolish the Miyazawa house? Asking just to make sure, but I'm guessing not, otherwise this would have already made it into the news outlets.

On a final note, about Rei's room window: damn, that looks so easy to get to, would a car be parked there.

(Btw yeah, this past summer was brutal, wasn't it?)

 

[Incoherent]

As always, thank you for the in-depth posts Incoherent.

Just a couple of questions:
1. Apart from reinforcing the entrance with the walls due to the stunt made by students last year, wasn't there a police officer standing around the house? I may be misremembering and a police officer has not been there in years.
2. Judging by the pictures, you managed to get pretty close to the house. Or were you just zooming? If you actually got so close, even though I know there is a fence, I'm quite surprised it's so easily "accessed", so to say.
3. Were there any signs in the are about plans to demolish the Miyazawa house? Asking just to make sure, but I'm guessing not, otherwise this would have already made it into the news outlets.

On a final note, about Rei's room window: damn, that looks so easy to get to, would a car be parked there.

(Btw yeah, this past summer was brutal, wasn't it?)

Hey Eliver, I can gladly answer your questions. And yes - I thought this summer would never end. Probably one of the worst I’ve ever had here in terms of heat. I think it almost went 6 months? Glad for cooler weather now.

1. I don’t think there has been an officer stationed there since around the end of 2020. Once the TMPD collected all the evidence they needed from the house the officer stationed there was relieved, and the blue covering was taken down. After students hopped the fence last November 2023, I can’t really notice anything else other than perhaps more signs warning of CCTV being in use.

2. Yes, I was right up close to the house. The fence is about a metre or so from it so you are able to go right up to it. If it were daylight I’d likely be able to see into the house now the paper coverings have fallen from some windows.
The chain link fence has flashing lights, warning signs, and I’d say it’s roughly close to 1.5-2m tall. For anyone that wanted to climb it and jump over they could do so, but they’d be on camera and I know for sure the TMPD does monitor it and the surrounding residents are watching the house too.

3. Not that I could see, I did have a quick look at the construction detail boards. There’s construction both sides of the river and the old apartments there were demolished. I couldn’t see what they’re doing but it’s due to continue until summer 2025. I will check back again to see what’s going on.

As for Rei’s balcony - yes, it is easy to get to. You can’t see it, but there’s also a ledge on the ground to boost someone up. It isn’t quite the second floor, more in between the first and second, so it’s actually not that high up. If someone stood on the car they’d have no issue climbing over, but that also presents other issues the same as the bathroom window does too.

 

[cenazoic]

I don’t know why, but that first pic with the red glowing lamp gives me a chill. Any idea what that’s for, @Incoherent ?

There’s something so ineffably sad about that house still standing there as the brooding dusk gathers, a silent sentinel of memory and horror.

 

[Incoherent]

I don’t know why, but that first pic with the red glowing lamp gives me a chill. Any idea what that’s for, @Incoherent ?

There’s something so ineffably sad about that house still standing there as the brooding dusk gathers, a silent sentinel of memory and horror.

The flashing red lights are usually on places that you’re not allowed to enter and act as a warning, like construction sites etc. It is basically a warning not to try and go over the fence to the house.

The area being so lively is definitely a stark contrast to the house just sitting there, rotting away in solitude. People passing by on their bicycles and kids leaving the tennis courts and skate park don’t pay it any attention.

 

[Incoherent]

I have managed to finally get my hands on a copy of Ann Irie’s book この悲しみの意味を知ることができるなら (if you could only know the meaning of this sadness) published in 2007 about the murder of her family and the days leading up to it. It’s likely much too sophisticated for me to read quickly, but I’m looking forward to gaining more perspective through her words. I’ve only ever read excerpts until now.

Of course, I will post here if any new or interesting information comes to light from the book about anything. But bear with me that it may take a while to get through the whole thing.