The photo on the right, which was released by police Thursday, shows how Tatsuya Ichihashi now looks after cosmetic surgery.

Ichihashi also tried to get cosmetic surgery in Fukuoka

Thursday 05th November, 08:02 AM JST

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pathat at 04:31 AM JST - 6th November

With the reward money up to 10 million yen, you can be guaranteed that there are some Japanese out there outside of his family who would gladly turn in this bastard and collect the money.

Money talks.
ThonTaddeo at 06:12 AM JST - 6th November

If that was the policy, then half of this board would be shot everytime the police tried to stop them for their daily bicycle check.

But with Ichihashi, they were questioning someone in direct connection with a crime (which is why there were 9 people there). With the bicycle checks, no crime has occurred at all and more often than not the older cop doesn't even suspect you of anything; he just orders the young one to stop you so that he can get some practice questioning people.
usaexpat at 06:28 AM JST - 6th November

Not exactly the sort of before and after picture a cosmetic surgeo woul;d want in their portfolio. I'm wondering why he went to the trouble, the cops couldn't catch him before he changed his face.
LFRAgain at 08:54 AM JST - 6th November

"The good news is that anybody that ugly ought to attact a lot of (unwanted) attention."

Sadly, I think just the opposite is going to occur. According to some experts -- And I would agree -- Ichihashi wasn't going for flashy. He was clearly going for as plain a look as he could manage. And that's just what he achieved.

Compared to his previous "face," there's nothing remarkable about his appearance now. And contrary to suggestions that he is somehow a hideous abberation in a sea of beautiful people, the simple truth is that most people are just as plain-looking as Ichihashi now is. He's going to blend in even better than he did before. The little s.o.b.
Heda_Madness at 09:52 AM JST - 6th November

GW - there was no evidence that she was killed at the time the 9 police went to his place. She'd been out with him the day before and hadn't turned up so the police went there to speak to him. They didn't know she was dead but they were just following up a lead. Why nine went, I have no idea. Perhaps you could ask them.
Heda_Madness at 09:56 AM JST - 6th November

** BurakuminDes

My post was in response to someone who said that they should have shot him below the waist for running away. No knowledge of a crime. He just ran from the police = shoot him. I'm pretty sure that some of the posters on here have fled from the police given the amount of times they are asked for gaijin cards, check to see if their bicycles have been stolen etc.

And yes, it is a FACT that the police screwed up by allowing him to escape. However this comment 'Says it all about their subsequent efforts in finding the maggot.' is absolutely ridiculous. Though I've come to expect it from this board when reading comments about the Japanese police.
Heda_Madness at 09:57 AM JST - 6th November

ThonTaddeo the police were unaware that a crime had been committed until they'd found her body. Up until that point she was just a missing person.

Moderator: Readers, please keep your comments focused on the current situation.
MadokaKato at 11:10 AM JST - 6th November

If they didn't find this loser by now, then he's probably out of the country. Why else would he get the plastic surgery? This was probably the 1st step for him to flee himself out of the country. If that's the case, don't count on the police to catch the guy, because he's long gone.

Some Japanese guys are so pathetic. I'm pretty sure all he wanted to do was to shag this girl, but it didn't turn out the way he hoped and led to her death. I remember this girl from Finland, and Japanese guys started acting weird over her because she is blonde. One guy tried to jump her, but she was a big girl that she was able to escape. This is the pathetic part of Japanese men around foreign women.
LFRAgain at 01:11 PM JST - 6th November

"Ichihashi is one of those typical Japanese . . . "

I beg to differ with this statement. I don't think there's anything typical about a person who ties up, bludgeons, and strangles someone to death, then hides the body in a bathtub full of sand on his or her balcony. There is nothing typical about Ichihashi whatsoever.
MadokaKato at 03:13 PM JST - 6th November

He is a pathetic human being..

I guess he didn't expect this to happen after he popped his cherry
helloklitty at 09:18 AM JST - 7th November

I think the "before" photo was better.
MadokaKato at 09:47 AM JST - 9th November

I don't think he wanted to look better to attract attention. His purpose to get a cosmetic surgery is to blend in and look ordinary. If he got a surgery and became good looking, the last thing a fugitive want is to attract attention.
pucks at 12:23 PM JST - 9th November

Sure, he's most likely guilty as hell. On the other hand, knowing the way the Japanese system works, even if he is innocent, he'd be wise to run because he ain't got a chance in hell of proving it and / or getting a fair trial! Hopefully, it's an open and shut case and they have DNA proof of his guilt.
BigInJapan at 05:09 PM JST - 9th November

I would ask my money back from this cosmetic surgeon!
kaminarioyaji at 09:42 PM JST - 9th November

Now, with hospital staff failing to notify police in a timely manner of these latest developments (How no-one recognised him at his first consultation is incredible - his face is in every station & Koban in Japan), this case is fast going from police fiasco, to national shame.