Japan
Country Intelligence Summary
108
Dec. 31, 2025
Top Motives and Outcomes in Japan
Top Motives
- Jealousy — 56 case(s)
- Revenge — 44 case(s)
- Control/domination — 39 case(s)
- Fear of exposure — 39 case(s)
- Eliminate romantic partner — 32 case(s)
Top Outcomes
- Arrest made — 96 case(s)
- Legal case ongoing — 89 case(s)
- Homicide during marriage — 65 case(s)
- Investigation still ongoing — 62 case(s)
- Deadbody recovery — 53 case(s)
State / Province Case Counts in Japan
19 case(s)
10 case(s)
7 case(s)
5 case(s)
4 case(s)
4 case(s)
4 case(s)
4 case(s)
4 case(s)
4 case(s)
3 case(s)
3 case(s)
2 case(s)
2 case(s)
2 case(s)
2 case(s)
2 case(s)
2 case(s)
2 case(s)
2 case(s)
1 case(s)
1 case(s)
1 case(s)
1 case(s)
1 case(s)
1 case(s)
1 case(s)
Cases in Japan: Motive — Eliminate romantic partner
Haruka Komatsumoto Allegedly Murdered by Takumi Ouchi, Mito, Ibaraki, Japan
Haruka Komatsumoto, a pregnant nail technician in Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture, was allegedly murdered by her ex-boyfriend Takumi Ouchi. The case involves stalking, obsessive behavior, and a brutal attack using two weapons—a hammer and a kitchen …
State/Province: Ibaraki, Japan | City/Region: Mito | Incident Type: Murder | Date: Dec. 27, 2025
View DetailsHase Allegedly Murdered by Yahara, Kawamura, and others, Ebetsu City, Hokkaido, Japan
In October 2024, 20-year-old university student Hase was found dead in a park in Ebetsu City, Hokkaido, with severe trauma and stripped naked. Six suspects, including Yahara, Hase's girlfriend, and five friends, were arrested after …
State/Province: Hokkaido, Japan | City/Region: Ebetsu City | Incident Type: Murder | Date: Oct. 26, 2024
View DetailsMs. M Disappearance Involving Shota Ozawa, Kofu City, Yamanashi, Japan
In spring 2024, Ms. M, a 40-year-old employee in Kofu City, Yamanashi Prefecture, disappeared after leaving work. Security footage showed colleague Shota Ozawa waiting for her and later interacting with her. Ozawa had stalked Ms. …
State/Province: Yamanashi, Japan | City/Region: Kofu City | Incident Type: Murder | Date: April 30, 2024
View DetailsHara Tadayuki Allegedly Murdered by Nishitaka Mai, Iwaki Shohei, and others, Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Japan
Hara Tadayuki, a Japanese internet streamer known as YuiGa, was found dead inside a weighted suitcase near the Tama River in Kawasaki. According to the source, Hara had been in a financially exploitative relationship with …
State/Province: Kanagawa, Japan | City/Region: Kawasaki | Incident Type: Murder | Date: Dec. 15, 2023
View DetailsA-ko Disappearance Involving Tsuchiya, Numazu, Shizuoka, Japan
In 2023, A-ko, a 33-year-old divorced single mother and insurance saleswoman from Iwata City, Shizuoka Prefecture, disappeared after dropping her children at daycare. Investigations led to Tsuchiya, a 31-year-old married office worker from Numazu City, …
State/Province: Shizuoka, Japan | City/Region: Numazu | Incident Type: Murder | Date: Feb. 21, 2023
View DetailsDonna Nelson Allegedly Murdered by Kelly, Tokyo, Japan
Donna Nelson, a grandmother from Perth, was arrested in January 2023 at Tokyo's Narita airport carrying nearly 2 kg of methamphetamine. She was deceived in a prolonged romance scam by a man named Kelly, who …
State/Province: None | City/Region: Tokyo | Incident Type: Non-Murder | Date: Jan. 4, 2023
View DetailsMs. O Allegedly Murdered by Kojiro Yamamoto, Sakai, Osaka, Japan
On the night of August 26, 2022, 20-year-old college student Ms. O, also referred to as Ms. Wang in parts of the transcript, was fatally stabbed in Sakai City by her 23-year-old boyfriend, Kojiro Yamamoto, …
State/Province: Osaka, Japan | City/Region: Sakai | Incident Type: Murder | Date: Aug. 26, 2022
View DetailsKako Sasaki Allegedly Murdered by Kojiro Yamamoto, Sakai City, Osaka, Japan
On August 26, 2022, Kako Sasaki, a 20-year-old university student in Sakai City, Osaka, was fatally stabbed by her ex-boyfriend Kojiro Yamamoto after a recent breakup. The incident involved domestic violence, jealousy, and a violent …
State/Province: Osaka, Japan | City/Region: Sakai City | Incident Type: Murder | Date: Aug. 26, 2022
View DetailsHaruka Watanabe Murdered by Ms. A and Watanabe, Niigata City, Niigata, Japan
In 2021, nurse Haruka Watanabe and her one-year-old daughter were found dead at their home in Niigata City. Initially considered a suicide or accident, investigation revealed horizontal rope marks inconsistent with hanging. Haruka's husband, Watanabe, …
State/Province: Niigata, Japan | City/Region: Niigata City | Incident Type: Domestic Violence Homicide | Date: Nov. 7, 2021
View DetailsTsuyoshi Furukawa Allegedly Murdered by Chiharu Sato and Mr. A, Kyoto City, Kyoto, Japan
In 2021, Tsuyoshi Furukawa, a renowned traditional craftsman in Kyoto, was found dead with multiple stab wounds and an arrow in his back at a love hotel. The suspect, Chiharu Sato, his disciple and involved …
State/Province: Kyoto, Japan | City/Region: Kyoto City | Incident Type: Murder | Date: July 9, 2021
View DetailsSato Ishizawa Murdered by Yoshiki Mizumoto, Koshigaya, Saitama, Japan
On September 30, 2020, Yoshiki Mizumoto, 35, attacked his former romantic partner Sato Ishizawa, 23, near her workplace in Koshigaya, Saitama. The source reports that Mizumoto had been married while conducting an affair with Ishizawa, …
State/Province: Saitama, Japan | City/Region: Koshigaya | Incident Type: Murder | Date: Sept. 30, 2020
View DetailsArashi Allegedly Murdered by Nobuaki Ishihara, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan
On July 22, 2018, Ms. Arashi, a 28-year-old married woman, was found dead in Nobuaki Ishihara's luxury mansion in Shibuya, Tokyo. Ishihara, a 69-year-old tax accountant and real estate executive, was her affair partner. Ms. …
State/Province: Tokyo, Japan | City/Region: Shibuya | Incident Type: Murder | Date: July 22, 2018
View DetailsMayuka Tamura Allegedly Murdered by Hiroaki Suzuki, Tama, Tokyo, Japan
Mayuka Tamura began dating her colleague Hiroaki Suzuki in 2014 without knowing that he was engaged to another woman. After Suzuki's fiancée obtained a 500,000-yen compensation order against Mayuka, Suzuki promised to reimburse her but …
State/Province: Tokyo, Japan | City/Region: Tama | Incident Type: Domestic Violence Homicide | Date: March 16, 2018
View DetailsMizuki Miura, Sogonis Sogonishinaka, and others Disappearance Involving Takahiro Shiraisi, Zama, Kanagawa, Japan
Takahiro Shiraisi, a Japanese man born in 1990, exploited vulnerable individuals with mental health issues via Twitter by pretending to offer help to those contemplating suicide. He lured victims to his apartment in Zama, Kanagawa, …
State/Province: Kanagawa, Japan | City/Region: Zama | Incident Type: Murder | Date: Aug. 22, 2017
View DetailsMs. A Disappearance Involving Suematsu, Seika, Kyoto, Japan
On October 22, 2016, 19-year-old Kyoto vocational student Ms. A disappeared after an argument with her boyfriend, Suematsu, near her home. Her family filed a missing-person report three days later. Police initially treated the case …
State/Province: Kyoto, Japan | City/Region: Seika | Incident Type: Murder | Date: Oct. 22, 2016
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