Miyuki Ishikawa Japanese midwife and serial killer. Country: Japan

Biography of Miyuki Ishikawa

Miyuki Ishikawa was a Japanese midwife and serial killer who gained notoriety during the 1940s. Born in Kunitomi, Miyazaki Prefecture, Ishikawa received her higher education at the University of Tokyo. She was married to Takeshi Ishikawa, but the couple did not have any children.

Working at the Kotobuki maternity clinic, Ishikawa held the position of a midwife, which was not officially recognized in Japan at the time. The clinic had a high number of infants, many of whose parents were extremely poor and unable to provide a decent future for their children. Feeling a sense of obligation to help these suffering infants, Ishikawa chose a rather peculiar method.

Ishikawa began to ignore some of her wards to the point where they would ultimately die. It is estimated that she was responsible for the deaths of over a hundred newborns. There is evidence suggesting that Ishikawa attempted to recruit other midwives to join her, but they vehemently refused to participate in such activities. However, her crimes did not stop at mere negligence. Ishikawa started collecting money for her deeds, demanding payment from the parents of the deceased infants. She justified her actions by claiming that the requested sum was significantly less than what it would cost to raise unwanted children.

One of the doctors at the clinic, Shiro Nakayama, also participated in the collection of money for the crimes. He provided Ishikawa with fake death certificates for the murdered infants. Similar cases had occurred in Japanese judicial practice before, such as the Itabashi case in 1930, where residents were accused of killing 41 foster children, and the arrest of Hatsutaro Kawamata in 1933 for the murder of 25 foster children. Although these incidents raised concerns among many Japanese citizens, the government chose to ignore them.

The rights of newborns and infants in Japanese law were surprisingly weak until a certain point. On January 12, 1948, police accidentally discovered the remains of five infants murdered by Ishikawa. Further investigation revealed that the children did not die naturally. As a result, on January 15, 1948, Miyuki and Takeshi Ishikawa were arrested.

Ishikawa primarily targeted abandoned children, arguing that the responsibility for the incidents should lie with the parents. Interestingly, her statement resonated with the wider society. However, there were opponents, including the well-known Japanese writer Yuriko Miyamoto. During the subsequent investigation, detectives found an additional 40 bodies at the funeral parlor where Ishikawa worked. Later, another 30 bodies were discovered at a temple. The total number of bodies found and the time span during which they were killed made it challenging for experts to determine the exact number of victims.

Ishikawa was tried for criminal negligence and ultimately sentenced to eight years in prison. Takeshi Ishikawa and Dr. Nakayama received four-year sentences each. The case was later reviewed, and the sentences were halved. Little is known about Miyuki Ishikawa's later life, but her case caused significant public outcry and prompted the Japanese government to seriously consider the legalization of abortions.