The mystery of a Japanese student missing for more than two weeks continues, as police search for a man last seen with her four days before she disappeared.
On Tuesday, Burnaby RCMP gave an update on the case of Natsumi Kogawa and provided still images from video taken before she was reported missing.
Police said investigators recently found video surveillance footage taken at 1:27 p.m. on Sept. 8, near Seymour Street and Hastings Street in Vancouver. The images show Kogawa walking with a man holding a black bag inside a building. Police did not disclose the exact location of the building.
Burnaby RCMP Sgt. Derek Thibodeau told media the man in the video is not a suspect and instead is a person of interest in the case who may have information to further the investigation.
“It’s not a criminal investigation at this time; what we’re looking for is locating him,” he said, adding investigators are not sure if the two knew each other.
The person in the footage is described as Caucasian man approximately 30 years old, and medium height, with a slim build and light-coloured hair. He was wearing a dark jacket, blue jeans, running shoes and a dark baseball cap. He was holding a black gym bag with red handles and wearing a dark coloured duffle style backpack.
Police are asking anyone who might be able to identify the man to call the Burnaby RCMP at 604-294-7922 and request tip line extension 5164.
Natsumi was last seen on Sept. 7 by a friend near the North Burnaby home where she was staying, and was reported missing to Vancouver police on Sept. 12.
The file was transferred to Burnaby RCMP since the woman lives in the city. Kogawa was in B.C. studying English.
Police have said there’s nothing to suggest the 30-year-old’s disappearance is suspicious, but there’s been no contact, so investigators are not sure what’s happened.
In the meantime, police still haven’t heard from Kogawa, and she hasn’t reached out to her family back home in Japan.
Kogawa is described as standing five-feet tall, weighing 100 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.
