The 23rd marks 27 years since Ayaka Yamashita, a 4th grade elementary school student, was murdered by a 14-year-old boy at the time in the 1997 child murder case in Kobe. Ayaka's father wrote a note to the press, revealing his painful feelings, saying, ``It still hurts. It's painful and lonely, that's all.''

In a series of child murders that occurred in Suma Ward, Kobe City from February to May 1997, five elementary school students were attacked by a 14-year-old boy at the time, killing two and seriously injuring three.

March 23rd was the anniversary of the death of Ayaka Yamashita (10 years old at the time), who was in the fourth grade of elementary school, and her father, Kenji Yamashita (75 years old), sent a note to various news companies.



Regarding our thoughts on the incident, he said, ``While we desperately want to know the truth, it is also intertwined with our fear of finding out, and it is too complicated to express our feelings in words. "There are so many deep, heavy and painful questions swirling around in my head, and I can't seem to find an answer," he says, expressing his mixed feelings.



After that, he continued, ``When I look back on the past 27 years, it seems like just the last time, and I feel how fast time has passed.Even now, my heart hurts...It's painful and lonely, that's all.'' He revealed his painful feelings that have not changed.



Mr. Yamashita also agreed to an interview with NHK.



Among them, Yamashita said, ``Just thinking about the circumstances in which a child was murdered makes me angry.Even after 27 years, this regret, sadness, and pain have not changed.'' I was talking.



In 2022, it was revealed that records related to the incident had been destroyed by the court, and it was also revealed that records of other serious cases were being destroyed one after another by courts across the country.



Mr. Yamashita said, ``I think the court only viewed this as a ``finished case''.For the bereaved family, there is no end or end to the incident, no matter how many years pass.''



In response to this issue, the Supreme Court enacted rules to establish a permanent third-party committee and listen to expert opinions on the necessity of permanent preservation of records as a measure to prevent recurrence. It has been in operation since January.

Full text of Ayaka Yamashita's father Kenji

This is the full text of a memo sent to the press by Kenji Yamashita (75), the father of Ayaka Yamashita (10 at the time).




The Kobe serial child murder incident occurred in 1997 at around 12:25 on March 16, 1997, on a Sunday.



This happened 27 years ago, and the truth is completely in the dark.



It was never made public, even to us, the victims.



While we desperately want to know the truth, it is also intertwined with our fear of finding out, and it is too complicated to express our feelings in words.



How did Boy A's mind turn to murder?



Why did her daughter Ayaka go and meet him at that place?



And he had to be killed for no reason.



Too many deep, heavy and painful questions are swirling around in my head, and I can't seem to find an answer.



One thing I could only vaguely discern is that the crime he committed was firmly imprinted in his own mind as an indelible fact.



And if you are a person with a heart, the day will come when you will be judged by your ``heart.''



And since he is still missing and we have lost contact with him, I can't help but think that he has lost the heart to apologize to his two children.



Have they lost the will to make amends to the victims and their families?



Think about what you have to do for the victim's family.



When I look back on the past 27 years, it seems like just a short time ago, and I feel how quickly time has flown by.



How will the lives of our family, which carries a heavy cross and lives a thorny path, change?



Sometimes I even wonder if nothing will change.



This March 23rd marks the 27th anniversary of Ayaka's departure, but when I think about this, my heart still hurts... It's painful and lonely, that's all.



The cherry blossoms in front of the main gate of Ryugadai Elementary School will bloom brightly this year as well.



March 23, 2024 Kenji Yamashita