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Hidenori Joumaru, alternatively referred to as "Joumaru-kun" or "Boy A", was a young boy whose remains were found in the aftermath of a house fire in Shintotsukawa, Hokkaido, Japan. His case is popularly referred to as the "Joumaru-kun Incident".

He was identified in 1998 following a DNA analysis, with the press only referring to him by his surname "Joumaru". Kazuko Kudo, referred to as "Watanabe" or "X" by the press, was initially charged with his murder but was later acquitted.

Case[]

On 10 January 1984, Hidenori Joumaru left his home in the Toyohira Ward of Sapporo, Japan, telling his mother that he was going to the home of a woman named "Watanabe." A witness in the area later testified seeing Joumaru going up the stairs to the home of Kazuko Kudo, a former hostess. After Joumaru failed to return home, police questioned Kudo on his whereabouts but were unable to establish any leads. Kudo left Sapporo and moved to Shintotsukawa.

2 years later, on 30 December 1986, Kudo's new residence burned down, resulting in the death of her husband. Following the tragedy, her younger brother was cleaning up the aftermath when he came across charred human bones in the rubble that did not belong to Kudo's husband. Due to the limited technology at the time, DNA analysis could not be conducted yet. Police questioned Kudo on the remains found at her home. She was reported to have failed a polygraph test and made statements hinting at committing a major crime, but was not arrested.

Identification[]

In 1998, authorities were finally able to conduct a DNA analysis on the bones found at Kudo's home and conclusively identified them as Joumaru's remains on 7 December. Kudo was quickly arrested and charged with his murder, just one month before the statute of limitations for murder expired. By this time, the statute of limitations had already expired for charges of bodily injury resulting in death, abandoning a corpse, and mutilation of a corpse.

During the trial, prosecutors accused Kudo of wanting a ransom for Joumaru, due to him coming from a wealthy family. Kudo was reportedly in debt at the time of Joumaru's kidnapping, but authorities were unable to determine when he had died. Kudo denied the charges and remained silent.

Following the 2001 trial, Kudo was found not guilty. Her trial was quickly appealed, however, the appeal was dismissed and her acquittal was upheld. On 2 May of the same year, Kudo was granted 9.28 million yen in compensation.

Sources[]

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