Yaqeen Blog

The case of Junko Furuta is widely cited as one of the most harrowing and depraved crimes in modern history. Occurring in late 1988 and early 1989 in Adachi, Tokyo, it remains a dark stain on Japan’s judicial history due to the extreme nature of the violence and the relatively lenient sentencing of the juvenile perpetrators.

Below is the comprehensive investigative breakdown of the "44 Days of Hell."

📅 The Victim: Junko Furuta (1971–1989)

Junko was a 17-year-old high school senior at Yashio-Minami High School. She was described as a diligent student who worked a part-time job at a plastic molding factory to save money for her graduation trip. She had no connection to her attackers prior to the abduction.

👹 The Perpetrators: The "Adachi Four"

The crime was committed by four teenagers who were dropouts and low-ranking associates of organized crime (chinpira). In court documents, they were referred to by letters to protect their identities as minors:

• Hiroshi Miyano (A): The 18-year-old mastermind.

• Jo Ogura (B): 17 years old.

• Shinji Minato (C): 16 years old. His family home served as the "prison."

• Yasushi Watanabe (D): 17 years old.

⛓️ The 44-Day Timeline

The Abduction (Nov 25, 1988)

While Junko was cycling home from work, Minato kicked her off her bicycle. Miyano, pretending to be a passerby, offered to walk her home safely but instead lured her to a park where he threatened and kidnapped her.

The "Prison" (Nov 25 – Dec 1988)

She was taken to Minato’s parents' house in Adachi. Shockingly, the parents were often present in the house but claimed later they were too intimidated by their son and his gang to intervene or call the police.

• Deception: The boys forced Junko to call her parents and tell them she had run away but was safe, specifically to discourage a missing persons investigation.

• Torture: Over the next 40+ days, Junko was subjected to over 400 instances of sexual assault. She was beaten with iron bars, burned with lighters, and forced to eat insects and drink her own urine.

The Final Days (Jan 1989)

By early January, Junko’s body was failing. She suffered from internal bleeding, severe dehydration, and organ failure. Her face was unrecognizable due to the beatings.

• Jan 4, 1989: After Miyano lost a game of mahjong, he took his rage out on Junko. She was beaten with an iron exercise ball and burned. She died later that day from a brain hemorrhage and shock.

🛢️ The "Concrete" Discovery

Following her death, the perpetrators wrapped her body in blankets, placed it in a 55-gallon steel drum, and filled it with wet concrete. They dumped the drum in a vacant lot in Koto, Tokyo.

The drum was discovered in March 1989 after the boys were arrested for a separate gang rape and eventually confessed to the murder during interrogation.

⚖️ The Verdict and Controversy

Because the attackers were juveniles, the Japanese legal system focused on "rehabilitation" rather than life imprisonment or death.

The Outrage: The public was horrified that such a barbaric crime resulted in sentences that allowed all four men to return to society while still in their 30s or early 40s.

🔗 Verified Investigative Sources

For readers researching the legal and forensic details of this case, use these direct, verified resources:

• Wikipedia (English/Japanese): Detailed Timeline and Biographies

• The Japan Times Archive: Judicial Reform Discussions Post-Furuta Case (Search "Junko Furuta" in their digital archive).

• Court Document Summaries: Aggregated High Court Appeals Data (Note: Specific Japanese juvenile records are often partially sealed but summarized in legal journals).

The Legacy of Junko Furuta

This case prompted a massive re-evaluation of the Juvenile Act in Japan. In the years following, the age of criminal responsibility and the harshness of sentencing for minors in violent crimes were significantly tightened.