OKUBO, Kiyoshi

Kiyoshi Okubo was a Japanese serial killer who murdered women throughout 1971. He had an extensive history of sexual assaults, starting from a young age.

At age 11, Okubo attempted to molest neighbourhood girl. As a youngster he was called “Son of Kodaira” (an earlier serial killer). Despite a wealthy family and loving parents, Okubo went on to kill.

Like many serial killers, Okubo’s crimes were a non-sequitur. He killed women, he said, because he hated the way police had treated him when he was arrested for rape.

Okubo was born in Takasaki City in the Gunma Prefecture (a prefecture is like a state, province or department), in Japan. His victims were all dumped in Gunma Prefecture.

Between July 1955 and March 1971, Okubo spent much of his time sexually assaulting women and being arrested. He spend years in and out of jail. He said later the police treated him poorly because he was often in trouble with the law. That, he said, was the reason he began killing.

Okubo used many ruses, including being a high school teacher, to get to know his victims. He had met each of them at least once before murdering them.

Miyako Tsuda, 17, was his first victim. She was raped and strangled after rejecting him. Her body was dumped in Lake Haruna (link to map). Mieko Oikawa , also 17, was his next victim. They had sex at a motel, but she then told him that her husband was a cop. He drove her to an industrial park in Yawata, where he strangled her. He threw her body into an existing construction hole.

The next victim is killed Ida Chieko , 19, who he woos with poetry. Okubo has met Chieko many times already. On their 5th date, Chieko reveals she knows Okubo’s real name, having asked around the neighborhood. She knows his past, and his criminal record. He offers to take her home, but instead, takes her to an industrial park in Yawata.

Okubo tries to strangle Chieko, but she flees the car. He chases and catches her, strips and assaults her, then strangles her. He throws her body into a construction pit. Before leaving, he writes a poem and leaves it with the body (rough English translation):

Alps valley
When rhododendron blooms
Remember
Our words
If you look at the valley
To your Cologne
Kozue’s singing voice, sad Dabi
(Former Ifu Tanigawa)

The next day, Okubo meets Seiko Kawabata, 17, at the Isesaki railway station. They had met once before. This time, after having driven to a gravel pit, Kawabata reveals her father works with the police. Okubo is enraged and strangles her with pantyhose. She is buried in a shallow grave in the pit.

The next victim is Akemi Sato, a 16-year-old. Okubo had met her days earlier, saying he was a high school teacher. He had already seduced her. On April 27, 1971, they went to a motel. Sato mentioned to Okubo her father was a cop. He decided to kill her. They drove to the Okubo’s favorite industrial park where he told her he hated cops and was going to kill her. He beat and strangled her, and dumped her in a ditch at the side of a new road.

Okubo found his next victim, 18-year-old Kazuyo Kawaho, at the Isesaki railway station. It was their second meeting, and Kawaho had figured out who Okubo really was. She had even found a photo of an earlier victim in his car. Afraid of getting caught, he beat and strangled her, dumping her body in the same industrial park.

Reiko Takemura is the next victim. On May 9, they met, drove around and chatted. When they parked near a mulberry field, Okubo made a pass at her, and she slapped him. She said her father was a criminal who would do “strange things” to him. She tried to flee, but Okubo caught her, strangled her with her own underwear, and buried her in the field.

Okubo had already been on 6 earlier dates with Naoko Takazuki, 22. This time, after having sex in his car, Okubo drove to a vacant lot in Shimonita and strangled her with pantyhose. He buried her in a nearby field.

On May 10, 1971, the brother of Reiko Takemura called police and said his sister was missing. Mitsuo Takemura began searching the area for his sister. He eventually found her bicycle. While he was in the area, he saw a man put on gloves and wipe the bike down. He was removing his fingerprints. Reiko talked to the man who then rushed away. Reiko reported the license plate number to the police, who then traced it to Okubo.

Police could not locate the suspect, so Reiko and 150 of his employees formed a search party. On May 13, they found Okubo and notified police.

Okubo was arrested on May 14, 1971. Through a series of confessions, site visits and maps, the bodies of 8 women are found. Forensic hair analysis matches the women to Okubo’s car.

At the October 25, 1971 trial, Okubo surprises everyone and pleads guilty. On February 22, 1973, he is sentenced to death. He is hanged on January 22, 1976.