The Osaka Prefectural Police have launched a wide-area information campaign regarding the 2003 disappearance of Yuki Yoshikawa, aiming to gather new leads in a case that has remained unresolved for over 22 years.
The Osaka Prefectural Police have initiated their first extensive information campaign across 66 police stations to seek assistance regarding the long-unsolved case of Yuki Yoshikawa, who went missing in Kumatori Town while returning home from school in 2003. The case, being investigated as a potential kidnapping of a minor, has seen a decline in the number of tips received over the years, prompting this renewed push for public involvement.
Since her disappearance on May 20, 2003, Yoshikawa has not been seen, with her last sighting occurring around her home. In an effort to stimulate public awareness and gather new information, police officers distributed flyers and placed posters in various locations, including major train stations and commercial areas across two prefectures and five neighboring prefectures, urging citizens to submit even the smallest tips that could lead to breakthroughs in the case.
Despite previous efforts marking the anniversary of her disappearance each year with local outreach, the police reported a significant decline in useful information, with only 280 tips provided in the past year. Insights into similar past cases indicated that the scenes of abductions and confinement might be distanced, which informed this new wide-reaching approach to gathering information. Authorities hope reviving public interest will accelerate the investigation and provide some closure for Yoshikawa’s family, who continues to await her return, despite the passing of two decades since her disappearance.
