Hello
all, i m Pratik – a law student from Mumbai. Recent Delhi rape case reminded me
of a similar brutal rape case which happened in Japan in the year 1988-89. So i
thought to share this case with you all. Many people might be knowing the facts
of this Japanese case, however, my purpose is to share this case with those
people who are not or less acquainted with the said Japanese case. I see many
cases reported recently in newspapers regarding rapes/brutality, however, since
no newspaper till now has compared the ongoing Delhi rape case with the then
case of a 17 years old girl Junko Furuta of Japan which suffered the
injuries/pains/trauma in a much similar fashion i thought to make an endeavour
to recall and share the similar scenario of the said Japanese rape case. (The dates of this case may not be accurate) To
explain shortly ; the girl Junko Furuta of Japan ,Age 17 was kidnapped by 4
persons. Their names were Hiroshi Miyano (18 yrs), Yasushi Watanabe (17 yrs), Shinji
Minato (16 yrs) , Jo Ogura (The leader18 yrs).( now they are recognized by
another names). The girl was kept in captivity for 44 days in the Ayase
district of Adachi, Tokyo. There is a list of the torture/odeal the girl
underwent during those 44 days. (The following data is available on many websites
. These are the facts reported online. Though there may not be accuracy as to a
some of the data mentioned herein, however one can find this case in the
records of crimes in Japan. This case was was
indeed a “very high profile” at that time)
q The kidnappers severely beat
up the girl countless times.
q
Her face held against concrete ground and jumped on
hands tied to ceiling and body used as a punching bag.
q
Nose filled with so much blood that she could only breath
through her mouth.
q
Dumbbells
dropped onto her stomach
q Vomited when tried to drink
water (her stomach couldn’t accept it).
q Tried
to escape and punished by cigarette burning on arms.
q Flammable
liquid poured on her feet and legs, then lit on fire.
q Bottle
inserted into her private parts, causing injury.
q Unable
to walk properly due to severe leg burns.
q Beat
with bamboo sticks.
q Fireworks inserted into private parts and
exploded.
q Hands
smashed by weights and fingernails cracked.
q Beaten
with golf club & iron rods repeatedly.
q Cigarettes inserted into private parts.
q Winter;
forced outside to sleep in balcony.
q Skewers
of grilled chicken inserted into her private parts, causing bleeding
q Hot
wax dripped onto face.
q Eyelids
burned by cigarette lighter.
q Stabbed
with sewing needles in chest area.
q Nipples
amputated and destroyed with pliers.
q Hot
light bulb inserted into her private parts.
q Heavy
bleeding from private parts due to scissors insertion.
q Unable
to urinate properly.
q Injuries
were so severe that it took over an hour for her to crawl. Downstairs and use
the bathroom.
q Eardrums
severely damaged.
q Extreme
reduced brain size.
In
those 44 days she was raped over 500 times. After the death of the girl, the murderers
stuffed the girl’s dead body in a 55-gallon drum filled with concrete and disposed
of it in Koto, Tokyo. (The Shūkan Bunshun magazine which revealed names of juvenile
criminal and the circumstances can be referred to). In
July 1990 a lower court sentenced the leader to seventeen years in prison. The
court sentenced one accomplice to a four- to six-year term, one accomplice to a
three- to four-year term, and another accomplice to an indefinite five- to
ten-year term. The leader and the first two of the three appealed their
rulings. The higher court gave more severe sentences to the three appealing
parties. The presiding judge, Ryūji Yanase, said that the court did so because
of the nature of the crime, the effect on the victim's family, and the effects
of the crime on society. The leader received a twenty-year sentence, the second
highest possible sentence after life imprisonment. Of the two appealing
accomplices, the one that originally got four to six years received a five- to
nine-year term. The other accomplice had his sentence upgraded to a five- to
seven-year term. Under aged offenders herein were tried as juveniles, but
eventually faced sentences of adults (most unique element of this case).
Perhaps the
Junko Furuta’s case was first gruesome kind of case which was recorded in this
world. You can find many links on
various websites which talks about this Japanese rape case. A reference can be
made thereto. A non-fictional
Japanese film “CONCRETE” which is based on the true ordeal of Junko Furuta can
be referred to.
I am just
sharing the reported facts of this case. The veracity of each fact mentioned
herein, is a matter of meticulous study of the original documents/confession of
accused which are not available online. However by and large this case is a true
incident. If i have erred in addressing any fact i anticipate pardon from the
readers.
Thankyou.
