News On Japan

Man indicted for assisting junior high school girl to commit suicide

YOKOHAMA - The Yokohama District Public Prosecutor’s Office on Monday indicted a 29-year-old unemployed man for assisting a junior high school student to commit suicide in September.

According to the indictment, Yuya Nozaki, a resident of Saitama City, became acquainted with the girl, who lived in Yokohama, on a social networking site where people with suicidal thoughts post comments.

Nozaki is believed to have met the girl in Saitama on Sept 20. On the night of Sept 23, he drove her to the mountains in Sagamihara City’s Midori Ward, where she apparently jumped from a bridge.

The girl’s parents reported her missing on Sept 21 and police said they had found street surveillance camera footage of she and Nozaki together. Police said Nozaki has admitted suggesting to the girl how to take her own life. He reportedly said that he got her to stand on the bridge parapet and then talked her into jumping into the river. ...continue reading

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