Junko Furuta, a 17-year-old girl, was kidnapped, raped, tortured, and murdered by four teenage boys in one of the most horrifying crimes in history. What’s equally shocking is the lenient punishment the perpetrators received, leaving many questioning how such monstrous individuals could exist and how the justice system could fail so profoundly.
Junko Furuta – The Ill-Fated High School Girl
Born in 1971 in Misato, Saitama, Japan, Junko Furuta lived a joyful and happy 17 years. Like any typical high school student, she had dreams and aspirations. Known for her beauty, intelligence, and high grades at Yashio-Minami High School, Junko was well-liked by her classmates. She didn’t drink or smoke and seemed destined for a bright future.
But everything changed in November 1988.
The Motive Behind Junko’s Kidnapping
Junko’s beauty caught the attention of Hiroshi Miyano, a school bully who boasted of connections to the Yakuza. According to classmates, Miyano developed feelings for Junko and was furious when she rejected his advances. Unaccustomed to rejection, especially given his self-proclaimed Yakuza ties, Miyano vowed revenge.
On November 25, 1988, as Junko cycled home from her part-time job, a boy deliberately collided with her and fled. Miyano, “coincidentally” nearby, offered to help and walk her home. Unaware of his intentions, Junko accepted. She didn’t know that Miyano and three other boys—Shinji Minato, Jo Ogura, and Yasushi Watanabe—had planned her abduction.
The Perpetrators
The four culprits—Hiroshi Miyano (also known as Hiroshi Yokoyama), Shinji Minato (Nobuharu Minato), Jo Ogura (Jo Kamisaku), and Yasushi Watanabe—carried out an unimaginable 44-day ordeal of torture. Over 100 individuals were involved, collectively raping Junko more than 400 times.
The 44 Days of Hell
Miyano took Junko to an abandoned warehouse, where he raped her and threatened to kill her and her family if she spoke out. At 3:00 AM on November 26, he brought her to a park where Minato, Ogura, and Watanabe were waiting. There, they took turns raping her before taking her to a house owned by Minato’s family.
On November 27, Junko’s parents reported her missing to the police. To avoid suspicion, the boys forced Junko to call her family, claiming she had run away and was safe with friends. Despite Minato’s parents being present in the house, Junko was coerced into posing as Minato’s girlfriend. Although Minato’s parents sensed something was wrong, they feared their son and didn’t alert the police.
On November 28, Miyano invited two others, Tetsuo Nakamura and Koichi Ihara, to Minato’s house, where they continued to rape Junko. Throughout the 44 days, she was subjected to unimaginable cruelty. The boys inserted iron bars, scissors, skewers, fireworks, and even a lit lightbulb into her body, causing severe internal damage. She was forced to eat live cockroaches, drink her own urine, and masturbate in front of them. Her body was hung from the ceiling and beaten with golf clubs, bamboo sticks, and iron bars. Her eyelids and genitals were burned with cigarettes, lighters, and hot wax.
After about 20 days, Junko managed to call emergency services, but the boys caught her and disconnected the call. As punishment, they poured gasoline on her legs and set them on fire, leaving her unable to walk. She suffered internal bleeding, a blood clot in her nose that made breathing difficult, and was unable to digest food, vomiting frequently. The boys beat her for “dirtying the carpet.”
Junko’s Death
After 30 days, Junko stopped urinating, and her eardrums were damaged. Unable to endure the pain, she begged for death. On January 4, 1989, after 44 days of torture, the boys mutilated her body, beat her with an iron barbell, and poured lighter fluid on her face, stomach, legs, and face before setting her ablaze. This final torture lasted two hours. Junko passed away that day.
To dispose of her body, the boys placed her in a 44-gallon drum, filled it with concrete, and abandoned it in a remote area of Tokyo. Her remains were discovered by chance a year later when Miyano, during questioning for another crime, confessed, mistakenly believing the police had evidence of Junko’s murder.
Police Negligence
One of the most tragic aspects of the case is that Junko’s suffering could have been stopped. Twice, the police were alerted but failed to intervene. First, a boy invited by Miyano to Minato’s house witnessed Junko’s condition and told his family, who contacted the police. Officers visited the house but accepted the family’s assurance that no girl was inside, conducting only a cursory inspection. The second time, Junko herself called the police, but the boys disconnected the call. When the police called back, Miyano claimed it was a mistake, and they believed him.
This negligence contributed to Junko’s prolonged suffering and death. Even holding the perpetrators accountable proved challenging for the justice system.
Outrageous Sentences
Shockingly, because the perpetrators were minors under Japanese law (under 20), they received lenient sentences. Hiroshi Miyano was sentenced to 20 years, Shinji Minato to 5–9 years, Jo Ogura to 5–10 years, and Yasushi Watanabe to 5–7 years. All four have since been released.
The court ordered Minato’s family to pay Junko’s family $425,000 in restitution, but no payment was ever made. Instead, the Minato family sold their house and gave the proceeds to Nobuharu, Watanabe, and Ogura upon their release, which they used for partying. While Miyano was still in prison, his mother desecrated Junko’s grave, blaming her for her son’s imprisonment.
The Ringleader
Hiroshi Miyano, the mastermind, had a history of criminal behavior. From elementary school, he engaged in shoplifting, vandalism, and disrespecting teachers. In 1986, he enrolled in a private school in Tokyo but dropped out within a year. Knowing that minors faced lighter penalties, Miyano recruited friends for criminal activities, including other rapes and thefts, which went largely unpunished.
In court, Miyano admitted only to causing injury resulting in death, receiving a 17-year sentence in 1990. After an appeal, the Tokyo High Court added three years. Released in 2009, he changed his name to Yokoyama and resumed a normal life. In 2013, he was arrested for suspected fraud but released. Reports suggest he lived luxuriously, owning designer clothes and sports cars from ill-gotten gains.
Remembering Junko
Junko’s funeral was held on April 2, 1989, attended by her friends. The principal personally delivered her high school diploma. One friend left a heartfelt tribute:
“Jun-chan, welcome back. I never imagined we’d meet again like this. You must have suffered so much pain, so much torment. The happiness we shared at the school festival was truly wonderful. We will never forget you. I heard the principal gave you your diploma. So we graduated together. Jun-chan, there’s no more pain, no more suffering. Please rest in peace.”’
More than three decades later, people still remember and pray for Junko. The site where her body was found has been developed into Wakasu Park.