"When Asked 'What Were You Thinking When You Killed My Daughter?' Japanese Murderer Shockingly Replies 'She Died Easily'"

Daily Media Reports on 'Simjeong Jeondal System' Bereaved Family's Story
"What were you thinking when you killed my daughter?" I asked
The Murderer Responded, "Hypocrite... You die easily"

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A mother who lost her daughter to a knife wielded by a teenage boy four years ago was once again devastated by the perpetrator's words. When the mother asked, "What were you thinking when you killed my daughter?" the perpetrator replied without any remorse, "She died easily."

On the 21st, the Japanese media outlet Yomiuri Shimbun reported a story of a bereaved family using the 'Emotional Communication System.' This system, which started in Japan last December, allows victims' families to ask questions to the perpetrator, who then responds in letter form. Prison and juvenile detention center staff listen to the family's questions and deliver them to the perpetrator on their behalf.

Ms. A, a mother who lost her daughter four years ago, recently learned about the Emotional Communication System through her lawyer. She immediately visited the prison and asked the perpetrator about the background of the incident and other questions.

The perpetrator, who was 15 years old at the time, killed Ms. A's 21-year-old daughter with a knife in a large commercial facility in Fukuoka in August 2020. According to the ruling, the perpetrator, Mr. B, attacked the victim, whom he did not know, and when the victim encouraged him to surrender, he stabbed her to death. Now 19 years old, Mr. B was sentenced to a short-term 10-year and long-term 15-year imprisonment that same year and is currently incarcerated. Because he was a minor, an indeterminate sentence was imposed.

One month after sending her letter, in July, Ms. A received a reply from Mr. B. However, faced with Mr. B's shameless attitude, devoid of any remorse or regret, Ms. A's heart broke once again.

To Ms. A's question, "What did you think when my daughter resisted?" Mr. B replied, "You are a hypocrite." When asked if his feelings had changed since the trial, he answered, "No comment," and to the question, "How did you feel when you stabbed my daughter?" he replied, "People die easily."

Seeing this, Ms. A tearfully said, "My daughter was strong in her sense of justice and encouraged the boy to surrender for his sake. Why does that make her a 'hypocrite'?" She added, "I never expected such a harsh reply," and said through tears, "Although I was able to learn the perpetrator's true feelings through the system, I was only hurt one-sidedly."

Professor Tatsuya Ota of Keio University explained the purpose of the system, saying, "It is a system designed to help inmates understand the pain of the victims' side and lead to genuine rehabilitation." He emphasized, "It is necessary to clearly explain in advance that there is a risk of receiving unreasonable answers that could hurt the victims. The government should also work with private organizations to support the psychological treatment of victims' families."