11 Jahre nach der Ermordung seiner Tochter … Vater ergreift unkontrollierte Maßnahmen, nachdem er den ehemaligen Jungen auf Bewährung gesehen hat

“The man who killed Hiromi is walking free” – The father of Hiromi Terawa, who was killed by an 18-year-old boy in Asahi Town, Mie Prefecture, in 2013, has shared his emotional experience of the tragedy that still haunts him. At the time of the incident, Hiromi, a third-year middle school student, was just 15 years old. Her father, Satoru (56), cried out in anguish and slammed his head against the window of his car. Eleven years later, Satoru spoke about this experience at a victim support seminar held on the 26th at the Kita Police Station in Yokkaichi.

The seminar was organised by the station to raise awareness among officers about victim support. Satoru began by expressing his gratitude to the investigators, but with a choked voice, he confided that painful events continue to haunt him, even in recent years.

Hiromi was attacked in August 2013 by the 18-year-old boy, a senior in high school at the time. Her body was found in Asahi Town. The former juvenile was convicted of causing Hiromi’s death and sentenced to prison, but was released on parole in 2023.

Satoru recounted how, in a chance encounter, he saw the former boy while driving. “What am I supposed to do?” he shouted in the car, slamming his head against the window. He said he couldn’t hold back his emotions otherwise. Reflecting on this, he expressed in his speech that “the wounds of the heart never heal. I live by masking them.”

He also shared his frustrations about the lack of consideration for victims and their families. This included feeling uncomfortable with media coverage and the phrasing of official documents during administrative processes. Regarding the parole of the former juvenile, Satoru spoke about how the local parole board failed to explain the reasons for granting his release. In June this year, Satoru had called on then Justice Minister Ryosuke Koizumi to adopt a more empathetic approach towards the families.

Satoru has since been advocating for the establishment of victim support laws, and in October 2022, all municipalities in the prefecture passed ordinances and guidelines related to crime victim support. He continues to campaign for similar ordinances to be enacted in every municipality across the country. “There is no one who will be inconvenienced by having such ordinances in place. My hope is that every municipality, everywhere, provides this support,” he said, calling for expanded support for crime victims.

[By Gen Ryoji]