A Mother that kills [Archive]

Sterling

2006-02-20, 06:17 PM

While almost everyone has heard stories of mothers' cliques, countryside politics, and alienation of foreigners, especially non-Western foreigners, by Japanese, I still think it's bullshit when people automatically jump to the conclusion or assumption that these factors were behind the killings.

And, even if the suspect makes statements to the effect that she felt excluded from the other mothers etc., I still would want to hold back judgement. That woman was mentally ill and left her treatment unfinished -- and that, I propose, is the most significant clue. There are cases where mentally ill people go off on a rampage and claim it was everyone's fault but their own... but just b/c they claim it, doesn't make it so.

And, if you guessed it, then yeah, you're right - no sympathy for the killer. If found guilty, she ought to be executed such like Mamoru Takuma was.

derrick_odd

2006-02-20, 06:29 PM

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20060220a2.html

http://www.asahi.com/national/update/0220/OSK200602200024.html (http://www.asahi.com/national/update/0220/OSK200602200024.html)

What do you guys think?

Personally, I see this mother's stabbing as product of the institutionalized racisim pervasive in Japanese society and the stress that it brings.

Its also interesting to note the tone change, much like the Yagi guy, once the media found out that she was Chinese...More kids getting killed. I was just talking with Japanese friend a little while ago about this and neither of us had any ideas about what's up.

I have sympathy for her. But not enough to affect my decision if I were a judge or juror. And way more sympathy for the kids she killed and her own kids. Not a whole lot of sympathy for the adminstrators who I suspect let the taunting happen, though.
Sources said she has told investigators she did not have resentment against the children, and she killed them because they happened to be near her.Sounds like someone is really pissed off and mentally disturbed.

edinjapan

2006-02-20, 06:41 PM

I think her killing her killing her children had more to to with the fact that she was an utter nutjob, not that she was Chinese or pressured into it by the `Overwhelmingly Racist Japanese Society`.

And yes, there is such a society. I believe they meet in a village hall somewhere in Saitama and eat biscuits.

You may be right. I used to live in Otonemachi a quaint little village that bordered on Ibaraki, Gunma, Saitama and Tochigi Prefectures. Most of the older men in the town did their military service in Manchuria. When we had a gathering they would all group together and after putting away the better part of a bottle of sake each the warstories would start. if there is any grain of truth to these stories what happened in China was undoubtably much worse than was let on. The conditions were appalling and the treatment of the Japanese troops by their officers was brutal to the extreme. This brutality was transferred down the line and ultimately the Chinese received their share.

What's really regrettable is that despite the Japanese losing the war and the US rewriting their culture to a great extent they really haven't learnt anything about international relations or how to get along with other cultures.

Stone-Cold Soba

2006-02-20, 07:15 PM

[Edit: The original text of this post (which remains unaltered) consists of almost pure conjecture which has since proved to be false.]

She may well be officially Chinese but she has a Japanese name and she speaks and understands the Japanese language (I read that on a news website, can't remember which one). Now, why would a Chinese person have a Japanese name? Perhaps because she was born and has spent all her life in Japan, growing up and living in Japanese circumstances, learning Japanese customs and mores, and feeling excluded merely because a previous generation came from China? Maybe; maybe not but it wouldn't surprise me.

Soba

Edit: Since writing that I've discovered (from Japan Times) that she's originally from Taiwan and a Japanese citizen.

kurogane

2006-02-20, 07:24 PM

She may well be officially Chinese but she has a Japanese name and she speaks and understands the Japanese language (I read that on a news website, can't remember which one). Now, why would a Chinese person have a Japanese name? Perhaps because she was born and has spent all her life in Japan, growing up and living in Japanese circumstances, learning Japanese customs and mores, and feeling excluded merely because a previous generation came from China? Maybe; maybe not but it wouldn't surprise me.

Soba

If she is Zai-nichi, and they play the race card, I am gonna hate those media parasite feckwits even more than I already do, and that's a lot.

That does it! I'm moving back to Whistler!!!!!!!!!

"What's that? I'm already in Whistler?"

Oh, ____, that's right. In that case, Never Mind

Well, anyways, Somebody tell Koizumi the Brain Drain has begun!

Sterling

2006-02-21, 12:08 AM

The suspect is not zainichi. She is a mail-order bride -- her husband went through an agency to find her, according to a shukan article.

mcalpine

2006-02-21, 12:38 AM

After finding out about this incident waves of anger permeated through my chest, I was fuming ! But out of fairness to everyone I will refrain from racist taunts against Chinese though I have a great disdain for them. I have no sympathy for her just like that Peruvian guy who murdered that poor little girl last year in some far out rural area somewhere I don't quite remember. "The devil told me to kill her," said the murderer. I'm in favor for the Japanese government clamping down more on foreigners.

cutyourhair

2006-02-21, 10:07 AM

cutyourhair

2006-02-21, 10:16 AM

The suspect is not zainichi. She is a mail-order bride -- her husband went through an agency to find her, according to a shukan article.

Yup, mail bride that came over in 1999 to live with her new husbands family in the boonies.

Sterling, while I think you have a point - that fact that this woman broke in Japan speaks volumes to me. There had to be a lot of stress - not to mention the fact that she was more than worried about her children being buillied at school (even though that's been officialy denied). Cases of doubles being excluded and treated poorly are far from rare, and add the Japanese country side and intensity of the discrimination there...

Still, its interesting to see what it is like on the other said of the fence, since Chinese and Thais are more common as spouses here than Canadians or Brits...

Edit:
Speaking of which, if racisim was not involved - why is the local government conducting an examination of all the non-Japanese in that area?

http://www.asahi.com/national/update/0221/TKY200602210088.html

electric_japan

2006-02-21, 10:28 AM

One Word Dysfunctional

agnosto

2006-02-21, 11:35 AM

Just read the latest...she used the longest knife in her kitchen to do the deed.

How that's news, I have no idea; must be a slow day in Japan news-land.

nosferatu

2006-02-21, 11:42 AM

Chinois or nay she's a loon...

Shrinks and finks can blame it on whatever they want but I say she'd have had the inclination for that kind of behaviour regardless of her geographic location or sociological circumstances.

LOCK HER UP....in a very small room.....forever.

Spaceghost

2006-02-21, 12:20 PM

"Are we there yet?"
"Are we there yet?"
"Are we there yet?"
"Are we there yet?"
"Are we there yet?"
"Are we there yet?"

nosferatu

2006-02-21, 12:22 PM

Another ten minutes.....

Jonobugs

2006-02-21, 01:17 PM

http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20060220a2.html

http://www.asahi.com/national/update/0220/OSK200602200024.html

What do you guys think?

Personally, I see this mother's stabbing as product of the institutionalized racisim pervasive in Japanese society and the stress that it brings.

Its also interesting to note the tone change, much like the Yagi guy, once the media found out that she was Chinese...

Without more knowledge of the complete situation it's next to impossible to know what truly happened.

Yes, kids can be cruel, but something in my gut tells me that this wasn't the problem. I can only imagine that her children probably look the same as the other kids and would have been able to fit in just fine.

Can we believe the reports in which the authorities claim that there was no bullying or teasing going on?

In any case, if her children WERE having difficulties assimilating into the school, I think that it would have nothing to do with their race and everything to do with their upbringing. To quote Nonbe, "She's an utter nutjob"

I do notice that children often reflect the personalities and traits of their parents.

I'm not exactly sure why many people automatically assume that there is racism involved. To assume that makes the whole situation worse and propogates the whole mess forward.

As for the suggestion that
...the Japanese government clamp[sic] down more on foreigners.

I think that is a bit of a knee jerk reaction. What happened was a terrible travesty, but how in the world does it automatically fall up on the responsibility of all other foreigners.

Is that a suggestion to now separate and discriminate against foreigners? Hmm... yes I can see how that will immediately remedy the situation. Let's single out the foreigners, make it even tougher for them to live in Japan. That should definately ease the tensions.

Jono

agnosto

2006-02-21, 03:41 PM

I'm not exactly sure why many people automatically assume that there is racism involved. To assume that makes the whole situation worse and propogates the whole mess forward.

Some people would assume so mainly because the Japanese population is infamous for its racism; the UN has even denounced them repeatedly for their horrible track-record regarding the treatment of minority residents. Find your local ethnic Koreans and ask them about their treatment.

I do agree with you that it's too easy to jump on the racism bandwagon which only serves to limit a person's view of the situation.

I think that is a bit of a knee jerk reaction. What happened was a terrible travesty, but how in the world does it automatically fall up on the responsibility of all other foreigners.

Is that a suggestion to now separate and discriminate against foreigners? Hmm... yes I can see how that will immediately remedy the situation. Let's single out the foreigners, make it even tougher for them to live in Japan. That should definately ease the tensions.

Jono

Don't know if you were around for it but after the wack-job Peruvian killed a little girl, the powers that be were screaming to the heavens about clamping down on us god-awful foreigners.

Knee-jerk reactions are what governments are good at, every government.

The media doesn't help by sensationalizing every foreign perpetrated crime that happens in Japan while the most bizarre crimes by Japanese people are swiftly forgotten.

kurogane

2006-02-21, 04:04 PM

I'm not exactly sure why many people automatically assume that there is racism involved.

Lesson #1:
Well, let's see: a foreigner, and a bunch of Japanese. You do the math.

To assume that makes the whole situation worse and propogates the whole mess forward.

Lesson #2:
Well, that would only be true if these narrow minded racist fecks actually paid any attention to what a bunch of xenophobic shiitelicking scumbags they tend to be, and that ain't gonna happen in our lifetime.

I think that is a bit of a knee jerk reaction. What happened was a terrible travesty, but how in the world does it automatically fall up on the responsibility of all other foreigners.

See Lesson #1.
Review:
Well, let's see: a foreigner, and a bunch of Japanese. You do the math.

Is that a suggestion to now separate and discriminate against foreigners? Hmm... yes I can see how that will immediately remedy the situation. Let's single out the foreigners, make it even tougher for them to live in Japan. That should definately ease the tensions.
Jono

Agreed. Now review Lesson #2.

Remember, your reactions to this problem are based on sound reasoning and an abiding sense of decency, as, no doubt, are the reactions of a large number of intelligent, educated Japanese, many of whom, nonetheless, cannot be bothered to get off their complacent, fattening asses and vote. On the other hand, you also have a large and politically active mob of superstitious, xenophobic, uneducated Dumb ____ry Fukks that like to blame everything and sundry on That Other Guy, esp. when That Other Guy really is The Other.

I hate xenophobees to peeces.

kurogane

2006-02-21, 04:25 PM

I'm in favor for the Japanese government clamping down more on foreigners.

NEWS FLASH

It has just been announced by the Ministry Responsible for the Subduing of the Savage Barbarians that there will be a joint operation launched in cooperation with the incomparable Iron Barbarian, and a venerable American organisation, the Kluless Kluts Klan.

When asked why He, himself a Barbarian, would wish to join in on an operation that is certain to cause great pain and anguish to His Own Kind, Kurogane replied:

“Fukk ‘em all. I want to be the only foreigner here. I am going to make sure that I am the mostest Mezurashii of the Mezurashii by re-defining the parameters of the term and its sample unit. Once I get rid of all the other stinky foreign pigs, I’ll get to be the only one. Then they are sure to accept me, oh yes, they are, I just know it, and I dream of it night and day, and regularly wack off to the thought, when I can locate my peenis below my monstrous whale of a gut.”

When asked of his priority targets, The Great Iron One replied:

“Well, first, I would like to find a solution, errmm, a “Final Solution”, to the Uncle Tom problem in my own community, Cyberia. In particular, there are a few rank apologists that are such shiite sucking brown nosers that the Japanese think of them just as one of their own, sort of like a pet retarded Elephant Seal, or a well regarded if stoopid Hippopotamus. These people really get to my self-esteem. If I am going to be Everybody’s Favourite Foreigner, well then, I have to do a little, err, “cleansing”.

Asked about their priorities, the Grand Wizard of the KKK replied:

“Wot!? You some stoopid Chinkee womin or summim? You know damn well we aim to round up every black ___, err, African-American posterior, in sight, and we’re gonna burn them like fireworks on the Fouth of Jewlai.”

Feeling better, or worse, you moronic Uncle Tomified pompous ___?

aha yes

2006-02-21, 06:01 PM

But out of fairness to everyone I will refrain from racist taunts against Chinese though I have a great disdain for them.
Don't hold back, dude. It's not like the Chinese give two deep-fried wonton about your "disdain" for them. BTW, I think racist trash talk only qualifies as a "taunt" if you've got the balls to actually say it in their presence, of which there is none on GP, so what you say here amounts to nothing but a little mousy squeaking. You could walk down to Chinatown and give 'em a piece of your mind...

I'm in favor for the Japanese government clamping down more on foreigners.
You'd sell out your own mother for some fake onsen water and mediocre booze, wouldn't you?

I have to say, this weasely batsh!t-blind Uncle Taro attitude sure is close to a kind of gaijin cannibalism, doughboy:

kurogane

2006-02-21, 06:17 PM

Two of the melanin challenged are taking on a melanin blessed right wing xenophobes' apologist, even though on days like today I would probably like to think I would prefer to let him pull a Marty Niemoller

Put in your votes peeples.

And this sums up my thoughts on that sort of nativist identificatory delusion:

First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out--
because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out--
because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out--
because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out--
because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me--
and there was no one left to speak out for me.

Amen, and NEVER AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

observer

2006-02-22, 01:00 AM

I feel very mixed about this whole thing...

On the one hand, I see the hypocrisy of the Japanese media.

If a Chinese naturalized as a Japanese citizen wins a medal in major sports events, then he is a Japanese - he is called in his Japanese name, and one has to dig through an article to find out he is an ethnic Chinese.

Now, if a Chinese who adopted a Japanese name commits a major crime, all of a sudden she regains her Chinese-ness and gets called in her Chinese name.

Hmm.

That said, on the other hand, I have to ask about personal responsibilities.

There are a lot of things she could have done to cope with her situation. She could have sought counselling; she could have tried to link up with other Chinese people for emotional support or come to an Chinese Internet BBS to vent her frustration or ask for advice; she could have asked her husband to move to a new place with more accepting social environments. If the worst comes to worst, she could have filed for divorce to go back to China.

All those alternatives would have been better courses to take.

It is unfortunate and while I sympathize with her to a considerable extent, she will have to pay for her crime.

kurogane

2006-02-22, 03:40 AM

I feel very mixed about this whole thing...

On the one hand, I see the hypocrisy of the Japanese media. .

Excellent post. Observant as always. :)

As for the hypocrisy of the situation you describe, I have two words from the haloed halls of Canadian Sports Moments that Never Should Have Been:

Ben Johnson. 100% Maple Syrup luvvin' Canadian one day, Jamaican born the next.

That was a national disgrace, and I'm not talking about what he did. That was too stupid to be disgraceful.

nosferatu

2006-02-22, 07:32 AM

Given Japans propensity for racism and blaming the "other guy" it was definately her dumb luck that she was Chinese, or "naturalised Japanese". All it seems to mean though is that the story takes a different spin, an angle that doesn't sit well with most foreign people for obvious reasons.

We don't like it when the Japanese media underlines a criminals nationality as a sign of some sort of reasoning for their anti-social behaviour. It doesn't happen so blatantly back in the UK (though I wouldn't go as far to say it doesn't happen at all as I'm really not so sure).

BUT...Let's not forget one thing.

She killed two kids. I don't give a s#@t how hard a time you're having or what ind of racism you suffer. It is never an excuse or a way of explaining the taking of a life.

The fact that she was Chinese was just an unfortuante (and irritating) side show.

cutyourhair

2006-02-22, 10:40 AM

If a Chinese naturalized as a Japanese citizen wins a medal in major sports events, then he is a Japanese - he is called in his Japanese name, and one has to dig through an article to find out he is an ethnic Chinese.

Now, if a Chinese who adopted a Japanese name commits a major crime, all of a sudden she regains her Chinese-ness and gets called in her Chinese name.

From where I am seated, Japanese society is choke full of these. And in all honest, slapping someone with a Gaikokujin label when it is convient is one of them. I still find it stifling that in this country, when I ask for directions they assume I speak English, but when bill times comes they assume I speak Japanese. I can under stand how one would see this as puerile (I do), and the lablel shifting when an individual (someone with foreign blood) is convicted of crime, is just another example of a double standrad.

Morning Star

2006-02-22, 02:13 PM

Jonobugs

2006-02-24, 12:38 AM

I think everyone has missed the issue here.

I've had to drive kids around before, and have come close to the breaking point. I'm sure that if my grasp on reality and consequences was a bit less stable I would have done the same thing. They take off their seatbelts, hit each other and start crying, yell about stupid shet; If it's your own kids maybe you can handle it, but other people's kids are another matter.

Let this be a warning to parents who want to sick their terrorist kids on some other parent. Carpool mom's aren't going to take their shet anymore. Teach those little monsters some manners before they get killed.

Ah...but I think it is YOU who has missed the issue. It seems like you're joking, but it's difficult to tell. I think we all know who frustrating children can be, but do you realize how that sounds? The kids had it coming? Perhaps you should read the story once more:
...she has told investigators she did not have resentment against the children, and she killed them because they happened to be near her.

In any case, the racist card was dealt. First, by the nutter woman claiming that her children were not accepted and by the media who made it clear that she was NOT Japanese. Furthermore a comment was made by McAlpine (I believe) that because of a few murders by foreigners that he is in favour for the Japanese government clamping down more on foreigners. Whatever that means.

Perhaps Kurogane is correct in that this is just an inevitable incident in which I as a gaijin am powerless to sway the thoughts of anyone else concerning racism, but I still gotsta speak up!

Yes, I know that the majority of people do not automatically think that all foreigners are the same and that the actions of one nutjob don't necessarily reflect anyone else. But those few that do, have loud voices. I'm not about to sit around and not say anything. Isn't there some sort of saying, "silence is acceptance"? I'm sure I've got that wrong, but I think everyone here is bright enough to know what I'm talking about.

Yes there is hypocrisy in the media, and as Kurogane pointed out you'll be hard pressed to claim that any one nation isn't guilty of the same thing. Perhaps other countries are a lot more careful about the wording, etc...but it's still there.

Jono