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Japan schoolgirl killer 'sorry'


Satomi Mitarai, 12, bled to death at her school on Tuesday
A Japanese schoolgirl who killed her classmate has offered an apology to her family and the victim's relatives as more details emerged of her motives.
The girl reportedly told police she was annoyed by comments Satomi Mitarai made about her appearance during their exchanges in internet chatrooms.

This has prompted Japanese media to question the dangers of this form of communication.

Satomi Mitarai, 12, died on Tuesday after being slashed with a small knife.


"She wrote something bad about my appearance several times on the Net a few days before the incident. I didn't like that, so I called her (to a study room) and slashed her neck after getting her to sit on a chair," the Yomiuri Shimbun quoted Mitarai's killer, 11, as telling police sources.

Her lawyers said she had begun to question her actions, and had repeatedly expressed remorse.



"I wonder why I did it. If I thought and acted properly it wouldn't have happened. I would like to apologise," she was quoted as saying.

The Mainichi newspaper said she told investigators she had planned the murder four days earlier, and had been inspired to use a paper cutter after seeing the method used in a television drama.

"I saw that drama. I thought I'd do it that way", she was quoted as saying.

The Asahi Shimbun said classmates at Okubo Elementary School in Sasebo, southern Japan, had often seen her reading horror books, including Battle Royale, about schoolchildren killing each other.

sorry? I don't think sorry is going to be enough...

BBC NEWS | World | Asia-Pacific | Japan schoolgirl killer 'sorry'