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Suspected ‘black widow’ Kanae Kijima with possible ties to nightclub host

Shukan Asahi Dec. 11
Shukan Asahi Dec. 11
Documents related to the investigation of marriage fraud suspect Kanae Kijima reveal that she had an association with a nightclub host, reports Shukan Asahi (Dec. 11).

Saitama Prefectural Police have learned that the 34-year-old was probably supporting a male acquaintance, aged in his 30s and employed at a host club in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward. “He is the most important person in the investigation,” says a source close the investigation. “He is not showing up to work now. And he might be the reason for Kijima’s crimes. The money she got from these guys was used to feed and take care of him.”

The same documents indicate that police are presently building cases for murder around the suspicious deaths of six men, many of whom gave Kijima sizable sums of money. Thus far, Kijima has been arrested four times for defrauding multiple other men, in their 40s and 50s and residing in various prefectures across the Kanto region, out of a total of 7.7 million yen after posing as a prospective marriage partner. (That figure is an update by Shukan Asahi over previous reports.) The most recent arrest occurred on November 18.

The body of Yoshiyuki Oide, a 41-year-old company employee from Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward, and a charcoal burner, a common tool used for committing suicide, was discovered inside a rented car in Fujimi, Saitama Prefecture on August 6. Investigators found that he was defrauded by Kijima for 5 million yen. An autopsy revealed that he had died of carbon-monoxide poisoning and that his body contained the remains of sleeping pills. Kijima was seen with him the day before his corpse was located.

Kenzo Ando, an 80-year-old invalid from Noda, Chiba Prefecture, died on May 15 in a house fire. Kijima had withdrawn money from his account and served as his nurse. She was seen at the residence the day before the incident. A charcoal stove was found at the scene and Ando’s system as well contained a sedative.

Two other men linked to the suspected “black widow” are also known to have died in a suspicious manner. Police have withheld information on two additional cases for which Kijima is being investigated.

Police have scoured business cards, emails and bank transaction records connected to Kijima. Investigators noticed a large gap between her expenditures and the income she received from the men whom she allegedly deceived. It is known that she collected a total of roughly 100 million yen, but only used between 10 and 20 million yen to purchase an imported car and other items.

Police found evidence that the Shinjuku host was providing instructions to the suspect via email. “Based on emails, this guy appears to have an intimate or close relationship with Kijima,” says the same source. “These emails include him teaching her how to use charcoal. The way they were written, it could be considered as advice for making murder seem like suicide. In exchange for the money he forced her to collect, he might have also been a good listener for dealing with issues related to those guys she trapped.”

The source adds that such deception is the nature of the host business — one in which women are known to run up bills amounting to hundreds of thousands of yen in one evening. “I am sure that as with with most host clubs what matters is sales,” the source comments. “The color of the money and how you got it doesn’t matter in the end.”

The same documents also indicate that Kijima had a regular boyfriend, who is referred to only as “S-san.” She is said to have regularly accompanied the man, in his 40s, on fishing trips to Fukushima Prefecture.

Shukan Asahi then visits the host club in Shinjuku. When asked about whether Kijima frequented the club, one veteran host quickly responds: “Although people are saying she’s been here, she has not.”

A representative within the club’s public relations department adds: “I haven’t heard a thing about her coming here.”

In the end, was it for money? For sex? Shukan Asahi wonders what information will surface next. (K.N.)

Source: “‘Konkatsu’ onna sagishi ni ‘rentanshi’ wo shinan shita host ga ita!” Shukan Asahi (Dec. 11, pages 124-125)