Ex-con provides peek at killer Tatsuya Ichihashi's life behind bars

Japan's prisons are very much like black holes -- little information about what happens inside ever leaks out. One of the few sources of prison stories is from those who have been released. Such is the case of 44-year-old Hiroshi Yamauchi (a pseudonym), who in April was paroled from Nagano Prison after spending 14 months there. 

Yamauchi continues to maintain his innocence and we will not dwell on the details of his case. Japan's Supreme Court turned down his appeal and after short stays at penal facilities in Niigata and Saitama prefectures, he was transferred to Nagano Prison to serve out the final 14 months of his two-year term.

It was at Nagano that Yamauchi learned that convicted killer Tatsuya Ichihashi was being confined at the same facility. He relates his story in Daily Shincho (July 1).

Nagano Prison incarcerates convicts belonging to two categories: Class A, who are mainly first-time offenders, and Class B, who include serious offenders, repeat offenders, and those with anti-social tendencies such as yakuza.

One Class B resident at Nagano is Ichihashi, now age 44. In March 2007, Ichihashi murdered English teacher Lindsey Ann Hawker, then 22, in his apartment in Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture.

Ichihashi initially succeeded in escaping from nine officers who converged on his apartment. Fleeing the scene barefoot, he spent the next two years and seven months on the run. Despite undergoing cosmetic surgery to change his facial features he was finally spotted at the Osaka Nanko Ferry Terminal in November 2009 and arrested.

As Yamauchi relates, "Ichihashi had been assigned to work at Plant No. 10. I'm not certain what that section does, but another convict who was at the same plant was transferred to the laundry, where I worked. He told me Ichihashi tended to be aloof, only engaging with those with whom he felt comfortable."

Among the hearsay about Ichihashi concerned the prison's annual undokai (sports meet), which was not held in recent years due to COVID.

"During my time there, no sports meets were held, but I was told that Ichihashi's legs are ridiculously fast," the man said. "In the relay races he was able to outrun everyone else, and many prisoners cheered him on, shouting 'Ichihashi, gambare!'"

While working at the laundry, Yamauchi was in charge of washing and sewing inmates' underwear, shirts, socks, and work clothes.

"When the clothes bearing Ichihashi's number came to us, some of the other prisoners were nasty, intentionally sewing on his number tag very crudely and inappropriately. One day, I made a neat job of sewing on his tag, and continued doing so afterwards. Then, about two months later, he started writing "Ichihashi" in neat characters above the number on his laundry bag. I think he probably realized that it was carefully stitched, and started writing out his surname as a way of showing his appreciation."

At the time Yamauchi entered the prison, he deposited ¥100,000 yen with the prison authorities, which he withdrew to purchase pens, writing paper, notebooks, articles of clothing and other daily necessities. His total earnings from working at the laundry came to ¥19,669 yen which he received upon release from prison.

In Ichihashi's case, specifics of the amount are unknown, but hearsay had it that probably has about ¥1 million on deposit.

Like the perpetrators of other notorious cases such as the Sagamihara mass-murder incident (19 killed and 26 injured in July 2016) and the assassination of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (in July 2022), supporters are believed to have made donations.

"Ichihashi also seems to have many passionate fans," Yamauchi noted.

Ichihashi's parents, both of whom are medical professionals, also reportedly visit him every month.

While his parents' allotted 30 minutes of visiting time is deducted from his prison wages, Ichihashi appears unconcerned with the loss of earnings as his ample funds enable him to frequently purchase new underwear and socks. He is said to keep seven sets of clothes which he changes daily, and he replaces worn articles clothing with new items at the rate of every one or two months.

What are the chances of Ichihashi's being paroled anytime soon? According to Article 28 of the Penal Code, parole can be granted after 10 years from the date of the sentence. In practice, however, the process takes considerably longer.

In 2021, only nine inmates in all Japan were granted parole, or approximately 0.5% of the total number of inmates (1,725) serving life terms. 

Since the average length of incarceration for life terms is said to be 32 years and 10 months, until Ichihashi eventually becomes eligible for parole, he is likely to have almost 20 years left to serve, at the very least, before parole is even considered.

© Japan Today