Father of Luice Blackman says her death is still hard to believe

The father of murdered Lucie Blackman says he is still struggling to come to terms with her death.

Tim Blackman has arrived in Tokyo, where his daughter, a former flight attendant, was working as a nightclub hostess when she disappeared in July.

Her dismembered body was found recently in a cave on a beach near Tokyo after a long search.

"Through the early weeks and months we held a hope that perhaps Lucie was alive somewhere," Mr Blackman said.

"It has been very difficult for us to find that she's been killed.."

Police have yet to charge anybody over Lucie's disappearance and death.

But police found the body near a condominium owned by a Japanese businessman who was arrested in October for allegedly drugging and abusing women.

The businessman, Joji Obara, 48, was allegedly a regular at bars in Tokyo where foreign hostesses pour drinks, light cigarettes and make conversation with Japanese men.