Kawasaki Stalking Case: Passive Stance by Police Caused Public Distrust

Editorial

14:46 JST, May 8, 2025

Although a female stalking victim repeatedly expressed her concerns, why did the police not respond actively? The handling of the incident, which ended in the worst way with the victim’s death, should be investigated and the results should be made public.

A skeletonized body was found in a house in Kawasaki, and the Kanagawa prefectural police arrested Hideyuki Shirai, who lived in the house, on a charge of abandoning the body. The body was identified as that of Asahi Okazaki, 20, who lived in the city.

Okazaki was a former girlfriend of Shirai, and she had been missing since Dec. 20 last year. Shirai has admitted to the charge, according to the police.

Since June last year, Okazaki had repeatedly asked the prefectural police for help, reporting that she had suffered violence committed by Shirai.

In December, she contacted the police nine times, for example telling them that Shirai was prowling around her house. However, the police only instructed Okazaki not to leave her house and did not question Shirai.

The Anti-Stalking Law bans prowling around victims. However, the prefectural police determined that Shirai’s acts did not constitute a case of stalking, saying, “We urged Ms. Okazaki to come to the station to confirm the facts, but she refused to do so.”

Victims of stalking tend to have wavering feelings over fear of retaliation by the perpetrators. Why did the police disregard her repeated reports of stalking and determine that they had no need to react? If the police had gone and talked to her, isn’t it possible that they could have saved her life?

The actions of the prefectural police after Okazaki went missing are also puzzling. A glass window at her grandmother’s house — where Okazaki was temporarily staying — was broken, but the police did not check for fingerprints and investigate further.

It was not until the police learned that Shirai had left for the United States that they finally searched his home and found Okazaki’s body there. It is quite natural that the bereaved family of Okazaki is angry with the police.

The prefectural police said that “necessary measures were taken,” but poor responses to the situation can be seen at every turn, leading to a sense of distrust among the public. It is not acceptable to brush this case under the rug. It is necessary to identify the problems with the investigation from a neutral and impartial standpoint.

The Anti-Stalking Law came into effect in 2000 in response to the murder of a female university student in Okegawa, Saitama Prefecture. The National Police Agency calls on the victims to contact the police. However, it is troubling if such a policy is not carried out thoroughly by officers on the front lines.

It is true that the human mind is complicated and it is difficult to intervene in stalking cases. However, underestimating and mishandling the situation can lead to the victim’s death.

An increasing number of police officers are too young to remember the Okegawa incident. Hopefully, their sense of urgency can be raised through training sessions.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, May 8, 2025)