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Japan
Country Intelligence Summary
49
Dec. 31, 2025
Top Motives and Outcomes in Japan
Top Motives
- Jealousy — 35 case(s)
- Revenge — 21 case(s)
- Control/domination — 17 case(s)
- Eliminate romantic partner — 14 case(s)
- Money / Financial Gain — 12 case(s)
Top Outcomes
- Arrest made — 42 case(s)
- Legal case ongoing — 32 case(s)
- Homicide during marriage — 30 case(s)
- Investigation still ongoing — 26 case(s)
- Deadbody recovery — 16 case(s)
State / Province Case Counts in Japan
9 case(s)
3 case(s)
3 case(s)
3 case(s)
3 case(s)
3 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)
1 case(s)
1 case(s)
Cases in Japan: Outcome — Legal case ongoing
Airi Sato Allegedly Murdered by Kenichi Takano, Takadanobaba, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan
On March 11, 2025, at approximately 9:50 a.m., 22-year-old live streamer Airi Sato (broadcaster name 'Kami') was fatally stabbed over 30 times on a street in Takadanobaba, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, by 42-year-old viewer Kenichi Takano. Sato …
State/Province: Tokyo, Japan | City/Region: Takadanobaba, Shinjuku | Incident Type: Murder | Date: March 11, 2025
View DetailsKaren Suzuki Murdered by Shogo Nishimitsu, Osaka, Japan
On May 16, 2024, Karen Suzuki, a 19-year-old university student living in Osaka, was fatally stabbed by her boyfriend Shogo Nishimitsu, who confessed to the murder. Nishimitsu had lied about his employment status and concealed …
State/Province: Osaka, Japan | City/Region: Osaka | Incident Type: Domestic Violence Homicide | Date: May 16, 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 DetailsYutaro Takashima and Nosako Takashima Allegedly Murdered by Wakayama Kito, Kyoko, and others, Tokyo, Japan
In April 2024, two burned bodies of a wealthy couple, Yutaro Takashima and his wife Nosako, were found in the mountains of Nasu Town, Tochigi Prefecture. Wakayama Kito, a former child actor, was arrested as …
State/Province: Tokyo, Japan | City/Region: Tokyo | Incident Type: Murder | Date: April 15, 2024
View DetailsNakata Tachibana Allegedly Murdered by Genki Yamanaka, Izumisano City, Osaka, Japan
On May 9, 2023, 18-year-old Nakata Tachibana was found dead in an apartment in Izumisano City, Osaka, after suffering brutal and sustained physical abuse by her boyfriend Genki Yamanaka, 22. Yamanaka admitted to assaulting Tachibana …
State/Province: Osaka, Japan | City/Region: Izumisano City | Incident Type: Non-Murder | Date: May 9, 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 DetailsShota Allegedly Murdered by Tatsuya and Misako, Wakayama City, Japan
In Wakayama City, a tragic family incident occurred involving a remarried couple, Tatsuya and Misako, and Misako's son Shota. Tatsuya, who was unemployed and addicted to pachinko, frequently demanded money from Misako and subjected her …
State/Province: None | City/Region: Wakayama City | Incident Type: Family Homicide | Date: Jan. 14, 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 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 DetailsYoko Yoshida Injured in Alleged Murder Attempt by Keisuke Yoshida, Nishigome, Tokyo, Japan
On January 16, 2022, Yoko Yoshida was found unconscious at home and later died in hospital. Initially thought to be natural causes, an autopsy revealed lethal methanol poisoning. The investigation pointed to her husband, Keisuke …
State/Province: Tokyo, Japan | City/Region: Nishigome | Incident Type: Attempted Murder | Date: Jan. 16, 2022
View DetailsToshio Ohashi and Yoshito Ohashi Allegedly Murdered by Toshiko Ohashi, Asahi, Chiba, Japan
In November 2021, a fire in a detached house in Asahi, Chiba Prefecture, resulted in the deaths of Toshio Ohashi, a paralyzed husband, and his severely disabled son Yoshito. The wife, Toshiko Ohashi, escaped and …
State/Province: Chiba, Japan | City/Region: Asahi | Incident Type: Domestic Violence Homicide | Date: Nov. 17, 2021
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 DetailsInoue, Inoue's father, and others Murdered by Endo Ki, Chuo City, Yamanashi, Japan
Endo Ki, a juvenile from Chuo City, Yamanashi Prefecture, developed an obsessive one-sided love for a female classmate, Inoue, which escalated into stalking and ultimately a violent arson-murder attack on her family. After being rejected …
State/Province: Yamanashi, Japan | City/Region: Chuo City | Incident Type: Domestic Violence Homicide | Date: Oct. 12, 2021
View DetailsWano-ka Allegedly Murdered by Shohei Komori and Izumi Komori, Sumida, Tokyo, Japan
In August 2021, 18-year-old high school student Wano-ka from Sumida Ward, Tokyo, went missing after saying she was meeting a friend. Her body was found days later in Yamanashi Prefecture. Shohei Komori, 27, and his …
State/Province: Tokyo, Japan | City/Region: Sumida | Incident Type: Murder | Date: Aug. 28, 2021
View DetailsHusband Injured in Murder Attempt by Konishi Kota, Sakai Ryota, and others, Adachi, Tokyo, Japan
In August 2021, in Adachi, Tokyo, a wife named Takita allegedly hired a hitman through social media to murder her husband due to financial debts exceeding 10 million yen and deteriorating marital relations. The husband …
State/Province: Tokyo, Japan | City/Region: Adachi | Incident Type: Attempted Murder | Date: Aug. 7, 2021
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