If this article is true, then Kobayashi is ludicrously stupid.
It really makes me wonder. Is he innocent? Was he forced to “confess”? Or is he guilty…and if he’s guilty, why did he leave such an obvious trail, but deny that he’d committed the crime? Why would he admit to kidnapping her, and only later admit to killing her? Why would he go around talking to people about it? Why did he leave the girl’s things in his apartment? (And if he’s innocent, where did he get the girl’s things?)
It seems like they’ve got the right man, but his actions are so erratic that it really clouds the issue. I wonder if they have an insanity defense in Japan…
I just want the child-killer, whoever and wherever he is, off the streets.
[Edit]: This article at Asahi corroborates Mainichi’s story, and gives us more insight into Kobayashi.