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Japanese expat couple killed at home
Japanese national Yasuo Hara, 69, and his wife Mizue Hara, 67, were killed at their residence in Rawa Lele, Jombang, Tangerang, on Thursday, allegedly by a former domestic helper
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apanese national Yasuo Hara, 69, and his wife Mizue Hara, 67, were killed at their residence in Rawa Lele, Jombang, Tangerang, on Thursday, allegedly by a former domestic helper.
Mizue Hara had been the chairwoman of a scholarship program called the Goodwill International foundation for the past 10 years, while Yasuo Hara was a retiree of the Jakarta Japanese School.
South Jakarta Police chief Sr. Comr. Gatot Edy Pramono said Friday the couple had been murdered Thursday at around 9 p.m.
South Jakarta Police chief detective Comr. Nurdi Satriaji said they had arrested a suspect who had previously been employed by the couple as a domestic helper, and charged him with premeditated murder. Based on the suspect’s testimony, the police then pursued his suspected accomplice, who remains at large.
The police have also confiscated a knife, thought to be the murder weapon. They said the suspect claimed he felt hurt when the couple fired him on Wednesday after working for them for a month. However, another housekeeper, who has worked for the Haras for two years, said the couple treated people kindly.
The Hara couple had lived in the area for more than five years. They are survived by three children.
Recipients of the scholarship program that Mizue Hara chaired said they would remember the couple for always bringing a “personal touch” to everything they did.
“They were more Indonesian than Indonesians... They cared about us and always made time
to attend our graduations, even wedding.
“They often called us up to see how we were doing and responded to our rants in the mailing list,” said Muqthi Ali, one of the alumni gathered at the morgue of Fatmawati Hospital, South Jakarta, on Friday.
His friend Tarto shared a heart-warming experience.
“Bapak Hara heard me play the guitar and told me that I played well. One day he asked me to come over to his house and he showed me the guitar he had given to his wife on their wedding day.
“He gave it [the guitar] to me and said, ‘now it has found its rightful owner’,” Tarto recalled.
He added that the kind gesture had inspired him to establish libraries for orphans in his neighborhood.
Another alumni, Herold, emphasized that the good will shown by the Haras would live on in him.
“Their spirit stays alive and inspires all of us to always carry it. The tragedy should not deter others from helping Indonesian students,” he said.
Some neighbors, who recalled the couple as friendly and helpful, said they saw two men climbing over the fence of the Haras’ house late Thursday. Believing the two to be thieves, the neighbors gave chase and managed to apprehend one of them, who immediately admitted he had just killed the couple. When the neighbors checked the Haras’ house, they found the couple dead.
The Japanese Embassy said they had been coordinating with the family of the victims and the police. Masaki Tani, the director of the embassy’s information and cultural center, said his team had checked the scene of the crime after relatives of the victims reported the death to the embassy.
“We are now waiting for the police investigation. We will coordinate with them and the family on the next step,” he said. (gzl)
Lilian Budianto contributed to this story
