The Infant Killer of Tokyo
A midwife who killed infants for four years: Miyuki Ishikawa
The number of infants she killed ranged between 85 and 169, but the confirmed victims are 103.
Who is Miyuki Ishikawa?
Miyuki Ishikawa was born in Kunitomi, Miyazaki Prefecture in 1897. She graduated from the University of Tokyo and got a job as a midwife in her city. Later she got married to Takeshi Ishikawa, but the couple failed to produce any offspring. After getting enough experience she was appointed as the hospital director of Kotobuki Maternity Hospital.
In the 1940s the economic condition was at its lowest. The families with low income were suffering the most, struggling on a meal to meal basis. Since abortion wasn’t legal back then, poor families had children, who they couldn’t take care of financially. During this time, Miyuki realised that she couldn't just stand by and watch the babies, suffering in families, that were extremely poor and unable to take care of them. The charity resources to take care of the babies were also scarce, hence she decided to do the unthinkable. She decided to neglect their current needs, and save the babies from the clutches of poverty in her own twisted way.
The Killings
Her kill spree was from April 1944 to January 1948. By neglecting, she killed infants between 103 and 169. The other midwives and even the government knew about this act. Many midwives disgusted by this act ended up leaving the hospital and the government ignored this act and never took any action.
Soon this act of charity turned into one of greed. Miyuki with the help of her husband started a scheme, where the husband went to the parents, asking for large sums of money, stating that it would be cheaper if they pay them instead of struggling to raise the child. And with the help of a doctor, Dr. Shiro Nakayama, she produced false death certificates for the infants killed.
The Arrest
On January 12, 1948, remains of five infants were discovered by two police officers of Waseda precinct, Tokyo, by accident. After autopsy it was discovered that the infants didn’t die due to natural causes. An investigation was led and it brought the police to Miyuki Ishikawa, her husband and the doctor. A search encompassing the whole city was implemented and 40 bodies were found in a mortician’s house and 30 more under a temple. On January 15, 1948, Miyuki, her husband and the doctor were arrested.
During the trial, Miyuki stated that the parents were the one responsible for the death of the infants, since the infants were abandoned. A large part of the public supported her statement. During that time the Japanese law gave no rights to infants, hence Miyuki was sentenced to eight years in prison.
Takeshi and Dr. Nakayama were sentenced to four years of imprisonment. Later Miyuki and her husband were able to halve their sentences through an appeal in 1952.
This case was the prime reason the government decided to reconsider the legalisation of abortion, since there was a surge in unplanned infant births. On June 24, 1949, abortion for economic reasons was legalised under the Eugenic Protection Law in Japan.
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