22 year old British English teacher, Lindsay Ann Hawker has been found dead in a bathtub of sand left on the balcony of a Japanese man's apartment in Ichikawa, Chiba. The Japanese man has suspiciously fled the scene. The BBC say that she was going to the man's apartment to teach him English. Whether this was on behalf of NOVA or whether this was a personal private student of her's it is not known. If it was NOVA, a DETAILED public enquiry should be held. It wouldn't do other gaijins working for NOVA any harm - lots are overworked, underpaid and trapped by Japanese language 'agreements' as it is.
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They are very sad news. He is also sad as a Japanese that such an incident arises. However, criminals are not a Japanese but a North Korean, and in Japan. The criminal of the Lucie Jane Blackman murder case of seven years ago is also a North Korean. In media of Japan, overseas media do not know it, either. A criminal is not a pure Japanese and is a North Korean.
Hi Miki, thanks for your comment.
I'm not 100% sure, but I think the men involved in this case - Tatsuya Ichihashi, and the Lucie Blackman case - Joji Obara are both Japanese. If they are North Korean, they must be 2nd or 3rd generation. But I've only read English language newspapers, not Japanese.
But it doesnt really matter - there is good and bad in every society.
Ah... I stand corrected! Joji Obara is Korean. I guess Obara isnt his real name?
Did the Blackman family except his bribe of 400,000 pounds or not? There are contradicting opinions on Wikipedia... I sincerely hope they didnt.
This is a sad story and as a fellow educator in Japan my thoughts go out to her family and friends. However, I do believe there is more to come out about this story. I have talked about it in my blog article and made comments on a couple of details that have been mentioned by the media, but not questioned or investigated by reporters as of yet.
The BBC has already put a story online entitled "Is Japan safe for foregners?". You don't have to read the article as I can give you an answer here. Yes it is! It's most likely safer than your home country (unless you live in Iceland or Scandinavia somewhere). Sure there is crime, but there is crime everywhere. I have never once felt threatened walking around in Japan, unlike numerous times back in England.
Hi Dave, thanks for your comment. I thought it was strange why she had her passport with her too. But as the guy had reportedly followed her home and randomly asked her to teach him English, she was silly enough as it is to accept the offer and then go to teach him AT HIS HOME!! I had private students in Japan, but I never taught at someone else's home... its risky in any country!
I wonder if the safeness of Japan affected her though. Even though I'm from London, I sometimes found myself trusting the Japanese safeness. For example, leaving your umbrella outside a shop, or a parcel for me left outside the front door. These things may be that I had no other choice, & they arent really major, but I had culture shock when I came back to London about how used to safeness I was.
I didnt realise the police didnt chase the guy when he tried to escape?! That is unbelievable!! Surely its obvious something is up when the police arrive and someone is escaping out the window...!!
It is possible that the safeness of Japan affected her judgement, but it is still very foolish/naive to offer to go to someone's place who you don't know to teach them, after they have chased you home from work.
All her friends and family have said how bright and smart she was, but it was an unfortunate fatal lapse that led her to go to this guy's place to teach him.
Still no sign of the suspect...
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