Ep 5: Under His Roof
Download MP3How far will a family go to protect its reputation, even if it means sacrificing one of their own? This series includes descriptions of violence. So please listen with caution. You are listening to Japan OMG. In the previous episode, Matsuo isolated and confined a real estate broker, enforcing strict rules and violent punishments.
Fabiano:Junko acted under his orders while the broker's daughter was forced to watch. In 1993, the broker died. Matsuo ordered the body destroyed, erasing all evidence. From that moment on, no one involved was free. By 1996, Junko's mother had already given 15,000,000 yen to help Junko and Matsuo stay hidden while they were on the run.
Fabiano:When the money ran out, so did Junko's hope. In 1997, she made what looked like a decisive choice. She left Matsuo. She entrusted her children to relatives and moved to Oita Prefecture. There, she took a job at a Hot Spring Inn as a bar hostess.
Fabiano:For a brief moment, it must have felt like she had finally escaped. But Matsuo was never going to let her go. He tracked her down through her parents. He claimed that Junko was responsible for the real estate broker's death. He told her family that without him Junko would be exposed and arrested.
Fabiano:Then Matsuo offered a deal. He said he would protect Junko and hide her until the statute of limitations expired. All he needed was their continued support, more money in absolute silence. Junko's parents agreed. They were terrified that Junko's capture would expose the family's secret.
Fabiano:Under Matsuo's orders they staged a funeral for Matsuo. When Junko called home to ask about her children she was told that Matsuo had died. Relieved she returned home for the funeral. But when she entered the room, Matsuo appeared out of nowhere. Matsuo hadn't died.
Fabiano:He'd been waiting. Junko was stunned. The betrayal hit harder than the physical blow that followed. It wasn't just Matsuo expecting her. It was her own family, the ones who had lured her back.
Fabiano:What followed was violence. Matsu beat her hard and locked her down. This time, he had someone to enforce his control, the broker's daughter, Girl A. The same girl who had watched her father die was now ordered to watch Junko. Junko sank deeper into the life she had tried to escape.
Fabiano:She now had two children with Matsuo. Neither child was registered. On paper, they don't exist. She now lived under constant fear, fully entwined in Matsuo's crimes. Her family didn't save her.
Fabiano:They paid Matsuo to protect their reputation and to keep the truth hidden. That was when Junko understood that leaving was no longer a simple option. The house she lived in wasn't a home. It was a prison, constructed from fear, shame and silence. Everyone under that roof was trapped.
Fabiano:Thanks for listening. I'd love to hear your thoughts or comments. Remember to follow and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts. See you in the next episode.
