Bodies of 4 children, 2 adults found in burned-out car

Sad... particularly for the kids (whom I'm sure didn't know what was going on and didn't want to die).

OMG! How horrific. If it was suicide, what happened that could possibly make a person choose to end their lives and the lives of their little ones so horrendously? I am sat here on the verge of tears... wishing I could leave work and go get my kids to hug them.

I hope the children were 'out' and didn't know what was about to happen.

Oh, "forced suicide" is the new word for suicide-murder? Good grief.

found in the wreckage

Suicide? or Wreck?

Forced suicide= slaughtered in excruciating pain and horror, I for one am amazed that people can do this to their own. Horrific there is no upside for this story.

"forced suicide"

I find something very offensive to the victims about that term.

I can understand taking your own life... but murdering your kids too?? WTF?

police to suspect that the six died as part of a forced suicide.

How about a suicide and possibly 4 - 5 murders. I'm sure the children didn't raise their hands to join this suicide pact.

come on guys, these articles are "close" TRANSLATIONS FROM ANOTHER LANGUAGE. Have you not lived in Japan long enough to realize how often translations don't always work out perfectly? Don't get hung up on WORDS.

ANyway, this is extremely sad, makes me angry. I really hope the kids/everyone was already dead/asleep before they burned.

Also, it doesn't say it "WAS" a suicide, it says "suspected". Ever thought it could have been a really stupid mistake? Someone smoking near the gasoline... POOF! With that said, 6 people, if concious, would have probably tried to get out of a burning car. Something tells me, they were already unconcious.

I am also sickened and disgusted by the phrase "forced suicide" please change it JT I'm sure as are many others here that none of those children chose to commit suicide even under extreme duress. I'm certain they were MURDERED by a sick adult. I feel physically sickened now by this phrasing

This is absolutely horrific, what state of mind leads an adult to kill innocent children to nullify their own guilt or problems.

This is most likely a family suicide which is not uncommon here in Japan, but why kill the children?

"Safe Japan" yes, but what goes on inside the minds and homes of families is very disturbing.

I feel so sorry for the grandparents....

Forced suicide... I know it is a poor translation, but concerning the children MURDER is the correct word. Why try to fluff things up with insensitive and incorrect phrases?

So sick! The worst way to die, would have been so painful.... kill yourself not your entire family... so messed up!

How about yakuza scum making an example of some poor family . I can't believe the version about 無理心中, too convenient!

leading police to suspect that the six died as part of a forced suicide. The last time I checked SUICIDE is voluntary, people who are too despondent to go on living, people who can not see the rainbow at the end of a cold windy storm, so I really really doubt the children were FORCED into suicide, but more likely died because the loser father thought burning everyone to death would be the cool way to exit this life time. Stupid father! RIP little children killed by their idiot father and maybe mother too.

I wonder in what other country, a burnt out car with a gasoline canister inside will lead the police to suspect suicide or even "forced suicide".

If father lit a canister of gasoline, or started pouring gasoline all over the upholstery of the car I think someone would have tried and been successful at getting out from the car. Something worse most likely happened here.

I wonder if this is how J-cops achieve that famous 95.5 homicide conviction rate?

This happened in my building a few weeks ago (different method same result although thankfully one of the kids was rescued before he succumbed). I was surprised it never became a news item on JT actually.

Anyway - again, I am horrified and I can only hope and pray that the kids were somehow "out of it" already before the burning happened.

Samantha - I am right with you. I am dying to give my kids a hug now too and tell them Mummy loves them so much and would cut her own head off before ever hurting a hair on their little noggins.

If there is somewhere else beyond this (jury still out in my case) I hope and pray those kids are there now and having a blast.

Just wantto add: suicide to me is taking your own life. When your life is taken my someone else against your will there is no two ways about it - it is murder. I dont care how Japanese culture likes to dress it up - murder is murder.

Murder of children. That was it was. Murder. Forced suicide is is not, was or ever will be MURDER.

Forced suicide is actually a term that can be found on wikipedia. It basically means where the victim is coerced into committing suicide to avoid facing an alternative option they perceive as much worse.

But it's meaning is not used properly in this article. Considering that this is a translated article, I would guess that they meant to say multiple murder and joint suicide...or multiple murder and suicide (in the case that one parent did all the killing).

There is no excuse for killing innocents.

leading police to suspect that the six died as part of a forced suicide.

Incredibly ridiculous and incorrect term. Please correct it JT. How can an infant choose - or even be forced - to commit suicide? None of these children were coerced or forced to suicide - they were murdered in the most horrific and painful way imaginable. If I was a religious man, I'd wish the adult(s) responsible burn forever in hell.

Rest in Peace to the poor children.

'Forced suicide' is simply a direct, literal translation of 無理心中. Sloppy translating.

BTW - why is this not in the "Crime" section, JT? Oh, sorry, that's right - that baby and the other children chose to commit suicide along with the adults.

forced suicide - M U R D E R is what happened. maybe the person who did the murders suicided himself (see i can make up words too) but plain old fashioned murder.

One thing for sure the 4 children were murdered by either one or both adults. Adults have a choice whether to live with whatever problems exist in their lives and how they deal with them.These children were not given that priveledge. This is a horrific story, a tragedy beyond the realms of empathic understanding. RIP

societymike,

Thank you for your rational explanation about this terminology. Many people become very emotional about issues such as this one, ans it is important that we discuss them in order to reach an understanding of Japanese culture, especially if one wants to live here in Japan. Although the English term "forced suicide" may not sound appealing, it is appropriate because this case cannot be tried as a homicide or murder. It is simply not possible to put on trial the man who started the fire, as he is dead. Thus, his presumed innocence will hold regarding that charge. It may not seem perfect, but it is the most logical solution. "Forced Suicide" is thus the term we use, but we all know what it really means.

It may not seem perfect, but it is the most logical solution. "Forced Suicide" is thus the term we use, but we all know what it really means.

It is the stupidest and most illogical term and is actually an impossible term to use with any credibility. The media should change the headlines ASAP. In most modern societies, this would surely be reported as a "suspected murder-suicide". The adult(s) here are suspected child murderers - and should be reported exactly as so.

j4p4nFTW - WTF?!?!?!? no, the term is not appealing nor is it appropriate. we don`t know who did it but whomever - it was murder.

Although the English term "forced suicide" may not sound appealing, it is appropriate because this case cannot be tried as a homicide or murder. It is simply not possible to put on trial the man who started the fire, as he is dead.

There IS no English term "forced suicide". It's an oxymoron. Either a homicide was voluntary (suicide) or it was forced (murder). IT CAN'T BE BOTH. If the death was forced, then it's still murder regardless of whether someone is still around to be tried in court for it.

Although the English term "forced suicide" may not sound appealing, it is appropriate because this case cannot be tried as a homicide or murder.

What an example of really terrible logic.

If this tragedy was an accident, as one poster suggested, then none of the victims were "forced suicides." If one or both parents decided to taken their own lives, then the act of killing their children is no more "suicide" than if a man sets fire to a car with his family inside, walks away, and then kills himself by jumping in front of train.

The case may not be able to be tried in a court of law, but it can certainly be tried in the court of public opinion. Any insistence to an English-speaking group that "forced suicide" is appropriate to describe this situation is highly condescending.

BurakuminDesNov. 04, 2011 - 07:17PM JST

BTW - why is this not in the "Crime" section, JT? Oh, sorry, that's right - that baby and the other children chose to commit suicide along with the adults.

Shame on this website. Why is this on the national news?? This is cold blooded MURDER!!!!!!!!!!! Do your homework, people.

Still, what else can you expect from this rotten country where suicide-MURDER is condoned and even sympathized with. Shameless RETARDED society I was born in. Disgusting! I wish I could just take my husband and children and run away to India or whatever, run away far away from here....from these horrendous news!! I'm sick to my stomach now.

As sad and depressing as it is to read about, killing your kids is the Japanese way of removing the burden placed on someone else who would have to take care of them if they were left alive. Very sad indeed and, as has been said many times, even sadder for those who are unable to have their own kids.

@ Franchesca - well said. Agree 100%. All I can hope for now is that the poor murdered kids are afforded their own funeral separate from the killer(s). Those murderers should not even be afforded a funeral service.

the Japanese way of removing the burden placed on someone else who would have to take care of them if they were left alive.

The Japanese way of thinking that other people will be burdened when, in fact, other people would love to take of them rather than have them murdered in the most painful and sadistic way possible.

However, given than some people in this safety island country don't even notice when their neighbors have been dead for six months, the adults killing their children might be right in thinking other people will be burdened. Cold society, indeed.

@Franchesca Miyara

Shame on this website. Why is this on the national news?? This is cold blooded MURDER!!!!!!!!!!! Do your homework, people.

Still, what else can you expect from this rotten country where suicide-MURDER is condoned and even sympathized with. Shameless RETARDED society I was born in. Disgusting! I wish I could just take my husband and children and run away to India or whatever, run away far away from here....from these horrendous news!! I'm sick to my stomach now.

Well said and thank you for posting the truth. I am with you 100%. This is clearly Suicide-Murder.

This is extremely tragic and sad news! Forced suicide I cannot understand, I never will. It's not like suicide, it's like taking your own life and murdering the lives of others.

The children are innocent and have no part in this horrible fate to their lives. How can parents do this to their own children wife or husband ?

The parents who go and do suicide and decide to take their children with them into "forced suicide" should NEVER EVER HAVE MADE CHILDREN IN THE FIRST PLACE!

They are sick people, very sick. If they can't handle their own life, please they should not bring children into this world. They should not force people in their family to choose that fate with them.

Forcing a family to suicide together is cowardly behavior and a shame to the person suggesting it.

People who think and do suicide are usually very mentally unstable folks. But taking your entire family is just totally screwed up in the head.

Most of the people commit suicide because of financial reasons, money problems. Why people have to give up their life for money problems? For god's sake live in a tent and eat rice porridge if one needs to and try and rebuild the life back.

This is a very horrible way to die, i really feel for the children. May their souls forever rest in peace. Just hate reading this type of news.

j4p4nFTWNOV. 04, 2011 - 09:03PM JST Thank you for your rational explanation about this terminology. Many people become very emotional about issues such as this one, ans it is important that we discuss them in order to reach an understanding of Japanese culture, especially if one wants to live here in Japan. Although the English term "forced suicide" may not sound appealing, it is appropriate because this case cannot be tried as a homicide or murder. It is simply not possible to put on trial the man who started the fire, as he is dead. Thus, his presumed innocence will hold regarding that charge. It may not seem perfect, but it is the most logical solution. "Forced Suicide" is thus the term we use, but we all know what it really means.

Sorry but this is pure MURDER!

It's either 1 parent or both parents decided to take their lives in a pact, or another party is involved and murdered all 6 people here and framed the scene to look like a so called "forced suicide"

So I'm actually wondering if the parents actually did this to themselves and their children - or is something much more sinister involved here ?

Nothing should be ruled out!

As sad and depressing as it is to read about, killing your kids is the Japanese way of removing the burden placed on someone else who would have to take care of them if they were left alive. Very sad indeed and, as has been said many times, even sadder for those who are unable to have their own kids.

This may be true in some cases, but the woman who killed herself and her daughter in my building not a month ago (the son thankfully survived the attempt) left behind the childrens father who was more than capable of taking care of the children himself. She wasnt "removing the burden" from anyone - she simply didnt want "the Dad to get them" (they were "lliving separately"). The daughter was 9 years old. The son was 11. My daughter knew the womans daughter (they were all at the same school). She was a nice kid with everything to live for. This is pure selfishness in my book. The mother simply didnt want to die and let her kids live without her. Sorry if this sounds callous, but I have had to spend the last month watching the after-effects of all this on the neighbourhood, and especially the school and the kids themselves. Devastating. Of course, I feel awful that the woman thought this was the only way, but I cannot excuse what she has done to her children, and especially the son, who has now been removed to places unknown and must live for the rest of his life with the knowledge that his mother committed suicide, killed his sister and tried to kill him.

come on guys, these articles are "close" TRANSLATIONS FROM ANOTHER LANGUAGE. Have you not lived in Japan long enough to realize how often translations don't always work out perfectly? Don't get hung up on WORDS.

I know what you are trying to say, but this is hardly translating the word "genki" into English now, is it? Whether or not something is "murder" or otherwise is a pretty damned important distinction!

MaitakeNov. 04, 2011 - 01:44PM JST

I can understand taking your own life... but murdering your kids too?? WTF?

Just guessing here but I believe the parents may have thought, as in the case of having a mentally sick person in one's family, the stigma would too great for their children. Not only (as someone else said) they may not even find anyone to take care of them but on top of that, imagine the day they think of getting married and their future partner's family asks about their family and they have to answer "My parents committed suicide"...

For those who suggest the kids could have gotten out of the car, if pops had left the container open for any decent length of time in that small car, it would have taken but a tiny spark from his lighter to ignite the very air. He certainly would not have had to fling the actual fluid all over his family.

As for the rest of the posts, are any of you seriously trying to find REASON in the mind of an individual diseased enough to fire up his family?

Kill yourself, not others, so selfish!