Akiyoshi Umekawa
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese mass murder
er who killed a woman on December 16, 1963 and shot dead four people on January 26, 1979. Mass media also used a number of aliases, including Teruyoshi Umekawa, Terumi Umekawa, Akimi Umekawa and Akemi Umekawa. He was one of the rare criminals who was shot dead by Japanese police.
, Hiroshima Prefecture
. He was a great reader and loved hardboiled
fiction. On December 16, 1963, while he was 15 and still a minor
, he killed a woman. Although he was a murderer, he was still allowed to have guns because Japanese juvenile law protected his criminal history. He also saw the film Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom. He wanted to make a big incident 15 years after he committed the first murder.
, Osaka
. He took 40 hostages at the bank. He asked them, "Do you know Sodom no Ichi (Japanese alternative title of Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom)?" He stripped women of their clothes.
Rokuro Yoshida, who joined criminal investigations of Kiyoshi Ōkubo
and United Red Army
, was appointed as the incident commander. Osaka armed police (now Special Assault Team
) were called, which was the first case in the history of Japanese armed police. They fatally shot Umekawa on January 28, 1979. Yoshida made no excuses, stating there was no alternative to deadly force.
. The story of the film Tattoo Ari
was inspired by him, but an alternative name was used for him on the film.
Mass murder
Mass murder is the act of murdering a large number of people , typically at the same time or over a relatively short period of time. According to the FBI, mass murder is defined as four or more murders occurring during a particular event with no cooling-off period between the murders...
er who killed a woman on December 16, 1963 and shot dead four people on January 26, 1979. Mass media also used a number of aliases, including Teruyoshi Umekawa, Terumi Umekawa, Akimi Umekawa and Akemi Umekawa. He was one of the rare criminals who was shot dead by Japanese police.
Early life
Umekawa was born in OtakeOtake, Hiroshima
is a city located in Hiroshima, Japan.As of 2003, the city has an estimated population of 30,471 and the density of 390.90 persons per km². The total area is 77.95 km².-History:* 5th century - Okudano-sato - Okudano-eki on the San'yōdō....
, Hiroshima Prefecture
Hiroshima Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Hiroshima.- History :The area around Hiroshima was formerly divided into Bingo Province and Aki Province. This location has been a center of trade and culture since the beginning of Japan's recorded...
. He was a great reader and loved hardboiled
Hardboiled
Hardboiled crime fiction is a literary style, most commonly associated with detective stories, distinguished by the unsentimental portrayal of violence and sex. The style was pioneered by Carroll John Daly in the mid-1920s, popularized by Dashiell Hammett over the course of the decade, and refined...
fiction. On December 16, 1963, while he was 15 and still a minor
Minor (law)
In law, a minor is a person under a certain age — the age of majority — which legally demarcates childhood from adulthood; the age depends upon jurisdiction and application, but is typically 18...
, he killed a woman. Although he was a murderer, he was still allowed to have guns because Japanese juvenile law protected his criminal history. He also saw the film Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom. He wanted to make a big incident 15 years after he committed the first murder.
Mitsubishi Bank sporting gun kidnapping
Umekawa shot dead two employees and two policemen on January 26, 1979 in a Mitsubishi Bank in Sumiyoshi-kuSumiyoshi-ku, Osaka
is one of 24 wards of Osaka, Japan. It is located on the southern part of the Uemachi Plateau, in the southern most part of Osaka City, and is separated from Sakai City's Sakai-ku and Kita-ku by the Yamato River...
, Osaka
Osaka
is a city in the Kansai region of Japan's main island of Honshu, a designated city under the Local Autonomy Law, the capital city of Osaka Prefecture and also the biggest part of Keihanshin area, which is represented by three major cities of Japan, Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe...
. He took 40 hostages at the bank. He asked them, "Do you know Sodom no Ichi (Japanese alternative title of Salò, or the 120 Days of Sodom)?" He stripped women of their clothes.
Rokuro Yoshida, who joined criminal investigations of Kiyoshi Ōkubo
Kiyoshi Okubo
was a Japanese serial killer. Between March 31, 1971 and May 10, 1971, he raped and murdered eight women, ages 16 to 21. He used a pen name, Tanigawa Ivan .- Early life :...
and United Red Army
United Red Army
The was a Japanese revolutionary armed group, established on 15 July 1971. It united the Red Army Faction, led in 1971 by Tsuneo Mori and the Maoist Revolutionary Left Wing of the Japanese Communist Party, led by Hiroko Nagata...
, was appointed as the incident commander. Osaka armed police (now Special Assault Team
Special Assault Team
The is a paramilitary counter terrorism unit under the Japanese National Police Agency. The SAT is mandated, along with the Anti-Firearms Squad and the Counter-NBC Terrorism Squad, for counterterrorism missions and incidents involving firearms or criminals which require an armed response beyond...
) were called, which was the first case in the history of Japanese armed police. They fatally shot Umekawa on January 28, 1979. Yoshida made no excuses, stating there was no alternative to deadly force.
Media
His crime had an impact on Japanese youths. Neko Oikawa said that he was the main reason why she didn't have leftist viewsLeft-wing politics
In politics, Left, left-wing and leftist generally refer to support for social change to create a more egalitarian society...
. The story of the film Tattoo Ari
Tattoo Ari
is a 1982 Japanese film directed by Banmei Takahashi. The film was based on the life of Akiyoshi Umekawa.-Cast:* Ryūdō Uzaki as Akio Takeda* Keiko Sekine as Michiyo* Misako Watanabe as Sadako Takeda* Ayako Ōta as Miyoko...
was inspired by him, but an alternative name was used for him on the film.