Overview

Last seen: January 1, 1984
Location: Superior, Douglas County, Wisconsin
Age: 26
Status: Missing
Circumstances: Takenaka was reportedly believed to have left Wisconsin in search of work. No confirmed subsequent sighting is publicly documented. He was a U.S. Army veteran who had served four years and been honorably discharged.

Detailed Case Breakdown

Howard Shizue Takenaka Jr.: Wisconsin Army Veteran Missing Since 1984

Howard Shizue Takenaka Jr. was a 26-year-old U.S. Army veteran when he disappeared from Superior, Wisconsin, in January 1984. More than four decades later, his whereabouts remain unknown, and his case continues to be listed by the Wisconsin Department of Justice as an active missing-person case.

The Disappearance of Howard Takenaka Jr.

Takenaka was last known to be in Superior, in Douglas County, Wisconsin, around January 1, 1984. According to the Wisconsin Department of Justice Clearinghouse for Missing & Exploited Children & Adults, it was rumored that he left Wisconsin to look for work. He has not been seen since.

The limited information publicly available does not establish exactly where Takenaka intended to go, what type of work he planned to seek, whether he was traveling alone, or what transportation he was using. The account that he left Wisconsin to find employment is described by the state itself as a rumor rather than a confirmed itinerary.

Howard Takenaka’s Description

Missing-person records describe Takenaka as an Asian male with brown hair and hazel eyes. NamUs-derived listings place his height between approximately 5 feet 9 inches and 6 feet and his weight between 125 and 140 pounds at the time he disappeared. The Wisconsin DOJ listing gives a height of 6 feet and weight of approximately 130 pounds.

A secondary missing-person source also reports that Takenaka had a tattoo on his left forearm.

A U.S. Army Veteran

One of the most significant details about Takenaka’s background is his military service. According to the Wisconsin DOJ, he served four years in the United States Army and received an honorable discharge.

Takenaka had been assigned to the 25th Adjutant General unit and stationed at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii. His military history has remained an important identifying detail in efforts to keep attention on his disappearance.

What Happened After He Left Superior?

There is very little publicly documented information about Takenaka’s movements after January 1984. No verified sighting after his disappearance is identified in the Wisconsin DOJ’s current public case information.

The central unanswered question remains whether Takenaka successfully left Wisconsin as rumored or whether something happened to him before or during the planned trip. Publicly available official information does not identify evidence establishing either possibility.

Possible John Doe Discussions

Takenaka’s case has occasionally been discussed by online missing-person researchers in connection with unidentified remains. In 2023, participants on Websleuths discussed him while examining the identity of an unidentified man found in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, in May 1984. Participants noted similarities involving age, physical characteristics and military background.

That discussion should not be treated as an identification or official investigative conclusion. The publicly available material located for this article does not establish that the Florida John Doe was Howard Takenaka or that law enforcement accepted the proposed comparison as a match.

Recent Developments in the Howard Takenaka Case

One of the most recent significant additions to Takenaka’s public case footprint occurred on December 13, 2024, when the Doe Network added Howard Shizue Takenaka Jr. to its database as case 6547DMWI.

The Wisconsin Department of Justice continues to maintain a public missing-person listing for him and directs anyone with information to the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office remains reachable through its current official contact channels.

A review of publicly accessible material through September 2026 did not locate an official announcement that Takenaka has been found, identified among unidentified remains, or that his disappearance has been solved. The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office’s publicly available press-release archive, which includes releases into July 2026, does not show a recent case-specific announcement concerning Takenaka.

This does not mean investigative work has stopped. Cold-case investigative steps, DNA comparisons, database searches and tips are not necessarily disclosed publicly. What can be established from current public records is that Takenaka remains listed as missing.

Why Howard Takenaka’s Case Remains Unusual

Takenaka seemingly disappeared with very little publicly documented evidence left behind. There is no publicly identified crime scene, confirmed destination, verified post-disappearance sighting or established explanation for what happened to him.

His case therefore remains centered on a small number of known facts: he was a young Army veteran living in or departing from Superior, Wisconsin; he was reportedly considering leaving the state to seek employment; and after January 1984, there is no confirmed public account of what became of him.

More than four decades later, Howard Shizue Takenaka Jr. remains missing. Anyone with information that could help establish where he went or what happened to him is encouraged to contact the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office or the Wisconsin Clearinghouse for Missing & Exploited Children & Adults.