TOKYO — 1996 · Unsolved Case
The Shibamata Student Murder and Arson
On the afternoon of 9 September 1996 a fire broke out at a house in Shibamata, Katsushika Ward, Tokyo. Once it was put out, firefighters found the body of J.K., a 21-year-old Sophia University student who was due to leave for study in the United States two days later; she had been killed before the fire. It happened shortly after her mother left for work on a rainy afternoon. The Tokyo Metropolitan Police still keep the case open as the "Shibamata 3-chome female student murder and arson"; despite thousands of tips, no offender has been identified. The family appeals for witnesses every anniversary.
- Date
- 1996
- Place
- Katsushika (Shibamata), Japan, Tokyo, JP
- Category
- Unsolved Case
- Case Status
- Unsolved
- Coordinates
- 35.7580, 139.8760 ↗
Timeline of Events
- 9 September 1996Fire broke out at the Shibamata house; the student's body was found.
- 1996Police opened a murder and arson investigation.
- 2010Japan abolished the statute of limitations for murder; the case stayed open.
- September 2021New tips were reported on the 25th anniversary; the investigation continues.
Sources
- Mainichi Shimbun — Shibamata davası 25. yıl haberi mainichi.jp ↗
- Wikipedia — Shibamata cinayeti en.wikipedia.org ↗
- Mainichi Shimbun
- Wikipedia
Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.
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🕯️ This record was prepared with respect, in memory of those who lost their lives.