Regarding the Aug. 23 article "Hawker believed tortured 1½ days": I would like to express my sorrow for the family of Lindsay Ann Hawker (the 22-year-old English teacher murdered in Chiba Prefecture in March). I believe Japanese authorities will never stop looking for the suspect (Tatsuya Ichihashi, 28). I have seen photos of him in police stations throughout Japan.
I hope the Hawker family (of Britain) finds justice. As the spouse of a Japanese, living here (from the Philippines) for almost a year, I find Japan safer than other countries. Sad to say, though, sometimes people involve themselves in the wrong place at the wrong time. No matter where you are or what your nationality, you should be aware of your safety first. We can't blame the country for something bad that happens.