Friends and coworkers have identified 32-year-old Wataru Kakiuchi as the man who was tragically stabbed to death on Wednesday in Vancouver. Those who spoke to CTV News expressed their shock and sorrow upon learning of Kakiuchi’s untimely death.
Kakiuchi, a Japanese national who came to Canada on a work permit, had been a chef at Hapa Izakaya since 2015. “He was just one of those people who would light up a room and couldn’t be an enemy of anybody,” said Justin Ault, the owner of Hapa Izakaya’s Yaletown location.
Authorities reported that Kakiuchi was stabbed on Union Street east of Main Street early Wednesday morning. Officers responded to a report of a man in distress around 3:30 a.m. and arrived to find Kakiuchi fatally injured. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
“He was a great guy. I know that’s a cliché, but he was just positive, full of life, energy,” said Ault. “He was a great musician, always had his guitar out after work.”
According to Ault, Kakiuchi was between work permits and planned to return to the restaurant to continue cooking. He had hoped to stay permanently in Canada.
In light of this shocking event, Hapa Izakaya closed on Wednesday to allow staff to gather and mourn their friend and coworker. “Your colleagues are family members, but especially in hospitality, you really get close to people,” Ault remarked.
Police have not yet confirmed a motive for the killing. They are asking anyone with information or dash-cam footage from the area between midnight and 3:30 a.m. on Wednesday to contact the Vancouver Police Department at 604-717-2500.
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