Takanori Hoshijima
The Japanese have a rich culture dating back centuries. It has long been admired for its traditions, family orientation and a strict code of honor. This concept of honor is as old as Japanese culture itself and teaches customs, doctrines and ethics that stress respect for one’s ancestors and high regard for purity, sincerity, and cleanliness.
Takanori Hoshijima, a 33-year old computer programmer, must not have subscribed to this practice, well except maybe for the cleanliness part and he even had a slight problem with that aspect of his heritage.
On April 18, 2008, Hoshijima forcibly entered the apartment of 23-year old Rurika Tojo, a neighbor. Rurika Tojo was described by her family and friends as a friendly, vivacious, loving and outgoing girl who loved to cook and dreamed of being a wife and mother. Hoshijima had long admired Tojo and wanted to have a VERY special relationship with Tojo. So special in fact, that he wanted to imprison her and make her into his very own sex slave, turning her into an object instead of a vibrant young woman.
Hoshijima had a lengthy and demented fascination with violent imagery, BDSM and Yuri sex, which refers to anime or manga series that portray romantic or sexual relationships 
between girls or women but basically comes down to big boy cartoons of an extremely sexual nature. He thought it would be easy imprisoning her in his apartment, which was only a couple of doors down from hers, and forcing her to serve his every whim.
Hoshijima must not have thought this plan through carefully or adhered to the principle of “don’t shit where you sleep.” Tojo was not overly thrilled with him forcing his way into her apartment, kidnapping her at knifepoint and taking her back to his place, as you can imagine. Hoshijima forced her into the bedroom where he intended to rape her. After a failed sexual assault attempt, Hoshijima bound and gagged Tojo.
When Tojo’s sister returned home and found her missing, she immediately called police. Police investigators interviewed Hoshijima shortly after her sister reported her missing, but he denied even knowing the girl. Police investigators, having no reason to enter Hoshijima’s apartment, left to continue their search.
Realizing that Tojo was not going to willingly consent with his plans of sexual servitude, coupled with his inability to rape her and finally having the police at his front door sufficiently unnerved him enough to come to the decision that he had to kill her. He then viciously stabbed her in the neck until she died. This alone would nominate Hoshijima for a spot on the fire pit express, but it is what he did next that moves him to the head of the line.
One can only imagine Hoshijima pacing the floors wondering what he was going to do. You can’t just keep a dead body, it gets a little messy after a day or two not to mention it isn’t the freshest smelling thing to have lying around. What to do, what to do. Then Hoshijima came up with a plan, one that he thought would prevent him from getting caught. If there was no body, then there was no crime. Brilliant!
So he proceeded to dismember Tojo’s body using a saw and knives. More than just dismember, he cut the majority of her up into little bitty pieces and attempted to flush her remains down the toilet. This was a long process, in fact too long as the remains began to give off a distinct odor. So some of the remains he cooked, to cover up the odor, before flushing them. Other, larger pieces, he distributed throughout the neighborhood garbage cans as he walked to work. Police investigators were able to recover 172 pieces of flesh, including a pierced belly button and fingers, along with 49 bone fragments from the garbage and sewers, but were never able to recover Tojo’s head. Hoshijima couldn’t seem to remember where he put that.
Hoshijima must not have been a fan of crime dramas, because he did everything but place a neon sign above his head flashing, “Pick me! I did it!” Not only did he live just two doors away from the victim, but, he left his fingerprints all over Tojo’s apartment along with his DNA. When the police questioned him again, he again denied ever knowing Tojo or being in her apartment. Whoopsie. He was initially arrested on trespassing charges, but after making a full confession, he was arrested and charged with murder.
The Prosecutors of the case fought for the death penalty, even resulting to a new practice of showing crime scene photographs and video images of the murder reenacted with the use of a mannequin. This is a common practice here in the United States, but a relatively new and controversial trial practice in Japan. The Prosecutors said, “The crime was an attempt to erase the existence of a human being. It is unprecedented in its cruelty and maliciousness.” Hoshijima never denied committed the murder, instead telling the court, “There is nothing wrong with the charges against me. They are all correct.”
When he was found guilty, he requested the death penalty telling the court, “I want to be executed and apologize in hell.” Wow. He really went out on a limb believing that Tojo was waiting for him in the Netherworld to accept his abject apology for terrorizing her, ending her life and turning her into a chum line for the sewer rats.
But Judge Kiichi Hiraide, citing the Nagayama standard, which was established by the Supreme Court of Japan in 1983, instead gave Hoshijima life in prison. Judge Kiichi Hiraide stated, “His act of murder was certainly malicious, but it cannot be described as an unparalleled atrocity. The murder, damaging the body and dumping it are not premeditated and the death penalty is too heavy. The defendant regrets his crimes.’’ Hiraide further stated, “Hoshijima has no criminal record, did not assault or molest Tojo (nope, just kidnapped, terrorized, murdered and mutilated) and shows remorse. It is appropriate to make him pray for the victim and seek redemption for the rest of his life.’’
Yeah, I bet he is really, really sorry that he killed and butchered a woman. Probably more sorry that he got caught and was never able to realize his dreams of owning a sexual slave. Hoshijima will be eligible for parole in 10 years. Tojo’s family has referred to Hoshijima as the “demon with a human face.” Judge Kiichi Hiraide said of the family, “It is cold-blooded and makes me shudder that he treated a woman like an object and cut up her body. The sorrow and agony of her family are too grave.”
But the good news is, he is really, really sorry. I’m sure her family takes great comfort in his remorse.
Does Takanori Hoshijima Belong In Hell?
- Yes (97%, 457 Votes)
- No (3%, 14 Votes)
Total Voters: 471
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26 Comments »
Well it looks like the police there are quite lame.
They should have got finger prints immediately, then when the POS lied they would have had reason to search the apartment…. BUT then again this is common sense.
It pisses me off to know that the police were within feet of Tojo when she was alive and the only thing between her and her fate at that point was a bunch of 2×4′s and sheetrock (a few walls).
Japan is going to follow the US if their judges are like this guy…..
Ok I been reading this site now for sometime and I love it. I usually have a high opinion about all the stories on here but never felt the need to write a comment until now. I just have to say this one thing disturbe me after someone commits such a cruel evil act some one can say…… “His act of murder was certainly malicious, but it cannot be described as an unparalleled atrocity. The murder, damaging the body and dumping it are not premeditated and the death penalty is too heavy. The defendant regrets his crimes.’’ How can the death penalty be too heavy look what he did if it were your body he did it to and you could come back wouldn’t you want the death penalty sorry this I guess is where I have a twisted opinion about that if you can take a life you can give yours up for it. Now I would not give it to him cause he asked for it that’s a different story. And regret I don’t think so …..regret ???? he wants to die so he can go follow her again hello does anyone say crazy???
I’m not sure I get your whole post, but I agree with one thing – we should not allow the criminal to choose the punishment. If he wants death, let him find a rusty razor in the prison and kill himself.
One the other hand, if we subscribed to this idea, wouldn’t every criminal facing capital punishment say – “I want to die”, knowing that they wouldn’t get it?
Anyway, 10 years until parole eligibility is ridiculous. He will be 43 – which is still young – and SHE would have been only the age he is now, had she lived. I think that the first possibility of parole should not EVER be less than the reasonable life expectancy of the victim. So if a 30 year old guy murders a female, whether she is 6, 26, or 96 – the killer could not be eligible for about 45 years – when he is 75. If he was 60 when he murdered – 15 years to parole eligibility. And if he killed when he was 80, then have a minimum of 7-10 years, regardless.
are you f’n kidding me….10 years??
This man shows no remorse. Look at the picture at the top. The sad part is if he had been caught selling an kilo of coke he would be doing 25 to life.
I’m rolling this around in my head, and I don’t understand something here.
Someone grinds someone up into hamburger, flushes a lot of her, can’t remember where the head is, disposes of pieces of her in trashcans around the building, and then confesses that he killed her but was unable to rape her.
Why would someone add that little piece of information into their confession? Could it be they were trying to avoid the death penalty? Could it be the actual commission of rape would have elevated the crime to something that was an “unparalleled atrocity.”
He mutilated the body. He cooked some of it. He flushed a great deal of it. If we consider his fantasies, his mentality and his ultimate efficiency with the body disposal, how can we reasonably be assured he did not rape her? The motive was sexual slavery, he admitted as much, but he denies having had sex with her for what gain?
Honor for the deceased?
A diminishment of his masculinity in the eyes of the court?
What was going on to repress at least an examination to determine if he was telling the truth in this one regard?
“but it cannot be described as an unparalleled atrocity”????
Sorry, I dont get what they Judge meant by that.
I personally think that getting murdered and cut up into bitty pieces and scattered througout your neighborhood is an unparalled atrocity. How could it be anything otherwise???
I expected better from Japan.
It’s an interesting concept .. and to satisfy my curiosity I am going to have to do some research into the Japanese death penalty.
To say that in order to receive the death penalty you must commit a crime of “UNPARALLELED atrocity” would tend to indicate that if you can prove that someone, somewhere has done as bad or worse you can avoid it … seems pretty unlikely to me … would tend to indicate that the judge is just plain wrong.
The per capita murder rate in the United States is about six times that of Japan. They’re clueless. They understand murderers about as well as we understand sea urchin roe sushi. (“Why would someone do that and what do we do now?” vs. “Why would someone eat that and where is our real lunch?”)
Ohhh, crazy Japonese…
Nobody hears what goes on in the prisons in Japan. Japan has a low crime rate because there is no tolerance for criminals. There is no honor of being a criminal. The judge may have put him there for other than what he said. Someone may talk him into killing himself….
LMFAO
“someone may talk him into killing himself …”
EL, I am roaring. Here I am full of high dudgeon and outrage, then I read your comment and get this visual of Dr. Phil sitting down with the poor sucker and quietly saying, “Ya know, Taka, I really believe this is the best thing for you . . .”
talking him into killing himself.
Hey, it might work.
I love it
One can only hope…
i dunno why.. but this story reminds me of the one when the asian guy was in love with a girl, i think they were schooling together in Germany? anyways, she didn’t like him, so he killed her and ate her, so he could have her with him always. these dudes are sick fucks, but i am actually glad he didnt get the death penalty because A. thats what HE wanted and B. he should suffer, A LOT before he dies in jail, alone and miserable…
1.) He got deported, 2.) he didn’t go to jail, and 3.) He’s living a cozy life as a free man in Japan.
Eligible for parole in 10 years? WTF? This crime was not an atrocity? Perhaps if the judge’s daughter had been the victim, he would see things differently.
I wonder how he was able to operate a noisy chain saw in an apartment for hours and no one called the police to investigate the noise and the odor?
This story almost leaves me speechless! Can we please for the judge to go to hell too, please?
I meant to write: Can we please vote for the judge to go to hell too, please?
Arrrrrrrrk Fucking shit headt asshole! Sick FUCK!
I understand being mad because he didn’t get death penalty but he’s going to spend his life…EVERYDAY for MANY years in Jail until he dies alone of some disease and then he will get to hell to suffer for eternity… I think it’s fair…Imagine how diying just makes it easyer for scums like him!? I do. I would rather see him suffer and being ass-raped in jail ti’ll death do him apart!
What blows me away here is the judge’s consideration of his ‘regret’ ?
My dad was a cop for many years and he told me that he has never seen a person that was remorseful for their crime(s) until they were caught. Granted, he didn’t arrest every human being that ever committed a crime in the history of the world, but I am pretty darn confident that his assessment is 98.9% accurate world wide.
He should have been given an indeterminate sentence in a shark tank.
He used knives to cut her body up in little tiny pieces? And that doesn’t seem premeditated to the judge? Wouldn’t that have taken forever? If he was sorry about it he wouldn’t have had the time nor the patience to do that. Only people who are terrified about getting caught could sit there for hours doing that and not get sick. I’d like to try though anyone think I can cut up his body with a knife for hours while he is still alive?
Hang him upside down and start with the feet to keep the blood flowing to the brain, then yes I do believe you could cut up his body for hours while he’s still alive. I have some climbing rope rated for 300lbs. and a really sharp knife. I also have a really dull knife with rust on it. Take your pick but leave me half. ;)
ok but i want to start with his face!
Cool, just don’t do anything fatal right away, that’s all I ask.
I just want to carve some things into it. The victim’s name and all her family members names. Starting with her oldest known relative.
They definitely found the head lol
http://www.theync.com/media.php?name=15040-woman-murdered-and-killer-attempted-to-flush-her-down-toilet&image=15040-woman-murdered-and-killer-attempted-to-flush-her-down-toiletbig0.jpg