English Tutor Kidnap and Murder Incident
Nagoya, Aichi
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In the winter of 1980, the Totani family were gripped by terror when notified by a kidnapper that their daughter had been taken for a ransom.
While abduction and blackmail have extreme penalties under Japanese law, authorities were stumped by this case for a number of weeks before the clues clicked together in the most unlikely of ways. Image: Asahi Shinbun article about the Totani kidnap incident - 26th December, 1980. |
2nd December, 1980 - Kintestu Toda Station
Sayuri Totani, a 3rd-year female student of Kinjo Gakuin University disappeared while responding in person to an advert for an English tutor.
The man she was visiting to teach, and who would later turn out to be her kidnapper, was Shuji Kimura - a 30-year-old sushi chef who was in staggering debt due to funding his mistress' lifestyle.
That evening, Sayuri's family received a phone call demanding a 30 million yen ransom ($270,000USD) for the safe return of their daughter. With a payment deadline of the following day's afternoon, the father of Sayuri quickly notified the police.
It was noted that Kimura had called over twenty times by that point, and had stated any communication with authorities could cause the death of Sayuri.
It was noted that Kimura had called over twenty times by that point, and had stated any communication with authorities could cause the death of Sayuri.
The next afternoon came and went without payment, and for the following three days Sayuri's family and the police were given instructions as to delivering the money.
It was speculated the kidnapper was not a threat due to the fact they did not follow their set time-frames for payment, but in order to prevent panic among the public, the media was not alerted about the incident.
It was speculated the kidnapper was not a threat due to the fact they did not follow their set time-frames for payment, but in order to prevent panic among the public, the media was not alerted about the incident.
Following orders given over the phone Kimura, the family and an investigator placed a percentage of the ransom request in bags before waiting at the 'Shirosaki' cafe near the Kanie IC Interchange.
There, they received a phone call from Kimura demanding they drive on the Tomei-Osaka Expressway and stop at the second emergency phone box towards Kuwana. Within the telephone box there was a note written in katakana saying 'From here, go to the Gozaishou Service Area to get Sayuri'.
However, the note wasn't found, and later the family received a phone call instructing one person to bring the money to a specific restaurant in Nakagawa ward (Nagoya).
The brother of Sayuri went alone to the restaurant as requested, but there was no contact from Kimura.
Later that afternoon, the family were told by phone to go to the Chuo Kasugai Station where they would be shown Sayuri. but upon the father and investigator arriving at the location the criminal and Sayuri remained absent.
On the evening of the 6th (by then the family had received twenty-eight phone calls in total), Kimura called the family, saying his car had broken down and he was unable to complete his side of the deal.
It was the final call from Kimura.
On 26th December, the investigation became open to the media, to which the unknown voice of the criminal was released on television.
Shuji Kimura was quickly identified (although some sources claim he came forward with information to try and disorientate the investigation, but was caught after it was noticed he had a similar voice to the kidnapper).
He denied any part in the crime, but his voice was found to match a sample of the criminal caller.
He denied any part in the crime, but his voice was found to match a sample of the criminal caller.
He confessed to the crime on 20th January, in which Sayuri had been missing for nearly two months.
Sayuri Totani's body remained missing until 5th May, when it was discovered in Kiso River.
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