The new police illustration of a suspicious man based on information brought forward by a witness in the area just before the 1996 murder-arson took place is seen in this image provided by the Metropolitan Police Department.

       TOKYO -- Junko Kobayashi, a 21-year-old fourth-year student at Sophia University in Tokyo, was killed at her home in the capital in September 1996. Her father Kenji Kobayashi, 75, continues to call for information that might lead to the perpetrator being identified, and maintains that "there are still buried clues."

       Sept. 9 marks 25 years since the murder-arson. At about 4:40 p.m. on that day in 1996, in the Shibamata neighborhood of Tokyo's Katsushika Ward, Junko was found dead in her home, which was destroyed by fire. The perpetrator is thought to have trespassed on the property at 3:50 p.m. or after, once Junko's mother had left the home, fatally stabbing Junko in the neck with a knife. The house was then set alight and completely burned down. Type A blood with a man's DNA, which is thought to belong to the perpetrator, was also found at the scene.

       New information on a potential suspicious person related to the case was released in August this year by the Metropolitan Police Department's investigation headquarters set up at Kameari Police Station. The development came after Kenji approached a woman, 46, who was at the scene of the crime a year before.

       In August 2020, Kenji was busy responding to the press ahead of the anniversary of Junko's death. On a day which he had started with a morning interview with a TV station at the site where his home used to stand, he noticed a woman a short distance away was staring at him. "Is there something the matter?" he asked. She seemed to make a resolution with herself at that moment, and said: "I think maybe I saw the perpetrator."

       The woman spoke without faltering about her memories from 24 years before. She said it was a special day for her family, and that her recollections were clear. Like Junko, she was 21 at the time. At about 3:30 p.m., just before the incident, she was riding her bicycle to a friend's house when she encountered a suspicious person in the street, about 15 meters from the scene.

       The man was thin, had upturned eyes and wore an oversized ocher coat. He appeared to be in his 50s or 60s, and was of a small build -- about 150 to 160 centimeters. It was a slightly cold autumn day, and he had a black umbrella open to cover him.

       When the woman came back from her friend's house later that day, and passed Junko's home again, barricade tape was already up around the scene, and firefighters had begun work to extinguish the blaze. There was a commotion among the onlookers.

       The suspicious man the woman spotted was also seen by another witness at about 3:55 p.m., some 25 minutes after the timeframe she reported. The investigation headquarters had, based on that information, previously created an illustration of the suspicious individual and released it. But when the woman this time learned about the reporting on the incident in 2020, she was able to link her memory with Junko's case for the first time. She felt she had to say something, and when she went to the scene, it was Kenji who called out to her.

       Kenji quickly relayed her information to the investigation headquarters. Officers then spoke with the woman themselves, and a new illustration was created from their talks. "It seemed like we had some hope," Kenji said.

       Kenji Kobayashi is seen calling for people to come forward with information, in Tokyo's Katsushika Ward on Sept. 7, 2021. (Mainichi/Kimi Takeuchi)

       In 2003, when there was no cash reward system for information on criminal cases, Kenji, with a strong desire to solve the case, set up a private reward fund offering 5 million yen (about $45,400 now) to anyone who could come forward with information that could lead to the identification of the culprit. At a press conference at the time, he said, "An image of what the suspect looks like hasn't even emerged. As a parent who has lost his daughter, this is the last thing I can do. I feel I am clutching at straws." Looking back on his actions now, Kenji reflected, "For me, money was no issue at all."

       Four years later, the National Police Agency introduced the Investigation Special Cash Reward System, which uses public funds to award up to 3 million yen (about $27,300) in principle. By combining Kenji's private reward with the public one, the total reward for information relating to Junko's case has since 2010 stood at 8 million yen (about $72,600).

       The period when investigators received the greatest number of tips was 1996 -- the year of the incident -- with 184 pieces of information submitted between September and December. Another 150 tips were received in 2003 -- when Kenji offered the reward. But recent years have seen a declining trend, with just 47 instances of people coming forward with information in 2020.

       Even so, police have been able to create a new suspect illustration based on the information brought forward by one person. Kenji believes that there is still important information out there that investigators have yet to discover. "Nothing would be more unfortunate than buried information being out there at this moment. I want people to provide us with the information they have, even if it's minor," he said.

       Anyone with relevant information can contact the investigation headquarters at Kameari Police Station on 03-3607-0110.

       (Japanese original by Kazuki Mogami, Tokyo City News Department)

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