Kiyoshi Okubo
Encyclopedia
was a Japanese
serial killer
. Between March 31, 1971 and May 10, 1971, he rape
d and murder
ed eight women, ages 16 to 21. He used a pen name, Tanigawa Ivan (谷川伊凡).
, Gunma Prefecture
. He was a quarter Russian. His mother, who was half Russian and half Japanese, doted on him even after he grew up. He was bullied by other children after the Pacific War
began on December 8, 1941. He raped a woman on July 12, 1955. On December 26, 1955, he attempted to rape another woman, but was unsuccessful. He was arrested, put in jail, and then released on December 15, 1959. On April 16, 1960, he attempted to rape another woman, but was again unsuccessful. The victim, however, withdrew the charge. On May 5, 1961, he married a woman and had a son and a daughter. He threatened a man on June 3, 1965, and then raped two women on December 23, 1966 and February 24, 1967. On June 7, 1967, he went into prison. He was released on March 3, 1971.
sentenced Ōkubo to death
by hanging
on February 22, 1973. He did not appeal
and was executed on January 22, 1976. It was reported that he couldn't stand up on the day of his execution.
played Ōkubo in the drama. Although Kitano was seen as a comedian in those days, the audience ratings reached 34.0 percent.
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
serial killer
Serial killer
A serial killer, as typically defined, is an individual who has murdered three or more people over a period of more than a month, with down time between the murders, and whose motivation for killing is usually based on psychological gratification...
. Between March 31, 1971 and May 10, 1971, he rape
Rape
Rape is a type of sexual assault usually involving sexual intercourse, which is initiated by one or more persons against another person without that person's consent. The act may be carried out by physical force, coercion, abuse of authority or with a person who is incapable of valid consent. The...
d and murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
ed eight women, ages 16 to 21. He used a pen name, Tanigawa Ivan (谷川伊凡).
Early life
Ōkubo was born in TakasakiTakasaki, Gunma
is a city located in Gunma Prefecture, Japan.The city was founded on April 1, 1900.Takasaki is a regional transportation hub because its train station is the junction of several rail lines as well as a Shinkansen stop....
, Gunma Prefecture
Gunma Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the northwest corner of the Kantō region on Honshu island. Its capital is Maebashi.- History :The remains of a Paleolithic man were found at Iwajuku, Gunma Prefecture, in the early 20th century and there is a public museum there.Japan was without horses until...
. He was a quarter Russian. His mother, who was half Russian and half Japanese, doted on him even after he grew up. He was bullied by other children after the Pacific War
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
began on December 8, 1941. He raped a woman on July 12, 1955. On December 26, 1955, he attempted to rape another woman, but was unsuccessful. He was arrested, put in jail, and then released on December 15, 1959. On April 16, 1960, he attempted to rape another woman, but was again unsuccessful. The victim, however, withdrew the charge. On May 5, 1961, he married a woman and had a son and a daughter. He threatened a man on June 3, 1965, and then raped two women on December 23, 1966 and February 24, 1967. On June 7, 1967, he went into prison. He was released on March 3, 1971.
Murders
Between March 31 and May 10, 1971, he killed eight women. On May 13, a 21-year-old woman disappeared, and her brother traced her. He found Okubo and the police finally arrested him on May 14.- Miyako Tsuda (津田 美也子 Tsuda Miyako) - 17 years old
- Mieko Oikawa (老川 美枝子 Oikawa Mieko) - 17 years old
- Chieko Ida (伊田 千恵子 Ida Chieko) - 19 years old
- Seiko Kawabata (川端 成子 Kawabata Seiko) - 17 years old
- Akemi Sato (佐藤 明美 Satō Akemi) - 16 years old
- Kazuyo Kawaho (川保 和代 Kawaho Kazuyo) - 18 years old
- Reiko Takemura (竹村 礼子 Takemura Reiko) - 21 years old
- Naoko Takanohashi (鷹嘴 直子 Takanohashi Naoko) - 21 years old
Trial and execution
The district court in MaebashiMaebashi, Gunma
is the capital city of Gunma Prefecture, Japan.The city was founded on April 1, 1892, by the samurai Makuba Kawai.On December 5, 2004 the town of Ōgo, and the villages of Kasukawa and Miyagi, all from Seta District, were merged into Maebashi....
sentenced Ōkubo to death
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
by hanging
Hanging
Hanging is the lethal suspension of a person by a ligature. The Oxford English Dictionary states that hanging in this sense is "specifically to put to death by suspension by the neck", though it formerly also referred to crucifixion and death by impalement in which the body would remain...
on February 22, 1973. He did not appeal
Appeal
An appeal is a petition for review of a case that has been decided by a court of law. The petition is made to a higher court for the purpose of overturning the lower court's decision....
and was executed on January 22, 1976. It was reported that he couldn't stand up on the day of his execution.
TV drama
On August 29, 1983, Ōkubo's crime became a TV drama, . Takeshi KitanoTakeshi Kitano
is a Japanese filmmaker, comedian, singer, actor, film editor, presenter, screenwriter, author, poet, painter, and one-time video game designer who has received critical acclaim, both in his native Japan and abroad, for his highly idiosyncratic cinematic work. The famed Japanese film critic...
played Ōkubo in the drama. Although Kitano was seen as a comedian in those days, the audience ratings reached 34.0 percent.