Regarding the Feb. 24 article "Miura held again over '81 hit on wife in L.A.": How many Japanese readers will be happy to see that Kazuyoshi Miura (now 60) has been charged with murder by U.S. authorities? Japan, a land of overwhelming beauty, a rich culture, and people whom I find are generally quite sensitive, has been horrendously lacking in its protection of women against male violence. I would like to see the Japanese government support the arrest and prosecution of men who physically abuse their wives -- and not just to please international observers.

I have personal experience in this area, having called police to my Tokyo home four different times after my Dutch husband, who told me he had a black belt in karate, threw punches at me (what a man!). The police did nothing but talk to him, after which he just laughed. The last time I called police -- after he had knocked me out and convinced me he was trying to kill me -- they informed me that they could not arrest him BECAUSE he was my husband! They said if he hit the maid or the neighbor, they could. My children and I left him for good the next day.

That this abusive man and I were both non-Japanese should not have made any difference. Lawyer friends later told me of their advice to female clients, Japanese and foreigner alike: If your husband is beating you, carry the fight into the street. When neighbors call the police, tell the police you don't know the man, and they WILL arrest him!

lynn matsuoka