Changing Perceptions: From Perverted Murderer to Respected Celebrity
The Story of Sada Abe
Japan in the early 1930s was a country torn between ancient traditions and modern Western influences. This split ran through the entire nation, from the lowest laborer to the highest classes, including the government. In almost yearly coup d’etats the military sought to increase its political influence. In particular the February 26 incident in 1936 where several high-ranking politicians were killed, roused the people. Once again, the rift in the country was exposed and the political changes after the incident offered continuous fodder for ongoing discussions.
But in May 1936, a notorious murder case took the collective mind off of these serious thoughts, and summer began with a new media sensation and an unexpected focus on female sexuality.
The Crime
In the early hours of May 18, 1936, a woman named Sada Abe strangled her married lover Kichizō Ishida while he was sleeping. Afterwards, she lay caressing his body for several hours before she cut off his penis and scrotum and wrapped it in paper. She tidied up the room as well as she could and left the inn in which they were staying, not without leaving instructions to let the man sleep. At around 8 in the morning, she disappeared in into the busy streets of…
