Japanese police yesterday admitted mistakes had occurred during the arrest of Chang Chih-yang (張志揚), the primary suspect in the murder of two female Taiwanese students in Tokyo, and expressed regret for his death while in police custody.
The police said Chang committed suicide by slashing his own throat with a 21cm knife, which had been concealed in his pants, while he was sitting in a police car with officers next to him, contradicting earlier reports that he had committed suicide after getting out of the car.
Chang died shortly afterward, after being rushed to a hospital on Monday night.
Photo: CNA
Chang had been apprehended by police at the SKE Theater in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, and brought by car to a police station for questioning about the murder of Lin Chih-ying (林芷瀅) and Julia Chu (朱立婕), who were found stabbed to death in a language school dormitory in Tokyo’s Taito ward.
At a press conference yesterday, the Metropolitan Police Department said its officers had failed to find Chang’s hidden knife, despite conducting two body searches.
The police added that they did not handcuff Chang because he did not resemble the photograph on his wanted notice.
However, Chang confirmed his identity when he was questioned in Mandarin, the police said.
The police also said they had failed to closely monitor Chang’s movements while he was in the car.
The police said officers did not drive Chang to the closest hospital, but rather a more distant one, because the fire department decides which hospital an injured person is sent to based on the severity of the injury and Chang was sent to the best-equipped health center because he was seriously injured.
Police said Chang, speaking in Mandarin, told an officer while being driven to the police station that he had stolen items and killed Lin and Chu with a fruit knife. Chang said he felt sorry for Lin, Chu and their families, as well as his family and relatives, police said.
The murder case has not been closed because of Chang’s death, police said, adding that they would continue to investigate to determine whether he was the murderer.
Earlier yesterday, Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson James Chang (章計平) expressed stern concerns over Chang’s death, demanding an explanation from the Japanese police about their handling of the arrest.
Chang Chih-yang’s parents traveled to Japan yesterday afternoon and did not interact much with the throngs of reporters who awaited them at the airport prior to their departure.
“I don’t know what to say and what to do. We will see what we can do after we arrive in Japan,” his father said.
Wu Nien-jen (吳念真), a famous playwright and director, yesterday left a message on his Facebook page telling reporters to understand what Chang Chih-yang’s father is going through and not to bombard him with questions.
“The one who committed the crime was an adult aged 30, not his father. The man is a father who just lost his son, a father in tears. Can you just not ask him anything?” Wu wrote.
“I beg you, please. If you do this because you have to meet your work demand, can you just take a shot of his back? He knows less than you and he wants to know the truth more than you do. As for his pain, you, at a young age, do not understand at all,” he added.
Lin’s father was also approached by reporters at the airport earlier yesterday.
“Everyone’s life is precious. I saw the news on TV and I feel sorry about that, but [what Chang Chih-yang allegedly did to] the two women is even more unfair. It’s hard for me to face up to the fact,” Lin’s father said.
What I wish now is to see my treasure, my daughter, for the last time. I wish I could bring her home safely,” he said when asked about Chang’s suicide.
GAINING STEAM: The scheme initially failed to gather much attention, with only 188 cards issued in its first year, but gained popularity amid the COVID-19 pandemic Applications for the Employment Gold Card have increased in the past few years, with the card having been issued to a total of 13,191 people from 101 countries since its introduction in 2018, the National Development Council (NDC) said yesterday. Those who have received the card have included celebrities, such as former NBA star Dwight Howard and Australian-South Korean cheerleader Dahye Lee, the NDC said. The four-in-one Employment Gold Card combines a work permit, resident visa, Alien Resident Certificate (ARC) and re-entry permit. It was first introduced in February 2018 through the Act Governing Recruitment and Employment of Foreign Professionals (外國專業人才延攬及雇用法),
WARNING: From Jan. 1 last year to the end of last month, 89 Taiwanese have gone missing or been detained in China, the MAC said, urging people to carefully consider travel to China Lax enforcement had made virtually moot regulations banning civil servants from making unauthorized visits to China, the Control Yuan said yesterday. Several agencies allowed personnel to travel to China after they submitted explanations for the trip written using artificial intelligence or provided no reason at all, the Control Yuan said in a statement, following an investigation headed by Control Yuan member Lin Wen-cheng (林文程). The probe identified 318 civil servants who traveled to China without permission in the past 10 years, but the true number could be close to 1,000, the Control Yuan said. The public employees investigated were not engaged in national
The zero emissions ship Porrima P111 was launched yesterday in Kaohsiung, showcasing the nation’s advancement in green technology, city Mayor Chen Chi-mai (陳其邁) said. The nation last year acquired the Swiss-owned vessel, formerly known as Turanor PlanetSolar, in a bid to boost Taiwan’s technology sector, as well as ecotourism in Palau, Chen said at the ship’s launch ceremony at Singda Harbor. Palauan President Surangel Whipps Jr and Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung (林佳龍) also attended the event. The original vessel was the first solar-powered ship to circumnavigate the globe in a voyage from 2010 to 2012. Taiwan-based Porrima Inc (保利馬) installed upgrades with
ENHANCE DETERRENCE: Taiwan has to display ‘fierce resolve’ to defend itself for China to understand that the costs of war outweigh potential gains, Koo said Taiwan’s armed forces must reach a high level of combat readiness by 2027 to effectively deter a potential Chinese invasion, Minister of National Defense Wellington Koo (顧立雄) said in an interview with the Chinese-language Liberty Times (sister newspaper of the Taipei Times) published yesterday. His comments came three days after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told the US Senate that deterring a Chinese attack on Taiwan requires making a conflict “cost more than what it’s worth.” Rubio made the remarks in response to a question about US policy on Taiwan’s defense from Republican Senator John Cornyn, who said that Chinese
RSS