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Kanae Kijima enters Saitama court for ‘black widow’ murder trial

Shukan Jitsuwa Feb. 2
Shukan Jitsuwa Feb. 2
“I know this sounds rude but my son (Yoshiyuki Oide) said it’s acceptable because you can get fed up with a beautiful lady in three days but you can also get used to an ugly one in three days.”

The mother was referring to her son’s relationship with Kanae Kijima, 37, who, reports weekly tabloid Shukan Jitsuwa (Feb. 2), is on trial at Saitama District Court for the murder of three men she met through matchmaking sites, including Oide.

The body of Oide, a 41-year-old company employee from Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward, and a charcoal burner were discovered inside a rented car in Fujimi, Saitama Prefecture on August 6, 2009. Investigators found that he had been defrauded by Kijima for roughly 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.

On January 10, when she entered a not-guilty plea, Kijima appeared in the courtroom wearing a blue-knit cardigan, beige skirt, and black stockings. After she was arrested, tabloids speculated on how such an outwardly unattractive woman could have duped so many men into starting intimate relationships.

Shukan Jitsuwa pulls no punches in detailing her heavy-set appearance, commenting that her bra strap could be seen wedged into her back. Yet the trial has revealed some of her skillful techniques in manipulating men.

First, she would ask for financial support for the tuition at her cooking school. Then she would make an appeal to demonstrate her seriousness, such as, “I am not looking for a casual partner; I am looking for my future husband.”

“What I want to share with you are my thoughts about a physical relationship,” Kijima might continue. “I think it is natural that a man and woman engage in such without taking too much time if they find each other appealing.”

Basically, she would say she is readily available.

Through this approach, she handled Oide-san by telling him after only 10 days of being in contact: “We can go to a love hotel; I am ready to be pregnant.”

Shukan Jitsuwa presumes this to be a sales point, meaning that he could finish inside her.

Prosecutors say Kijima swindled him and deceived him after their sexual relationship began.

“Oide-san started to criticize the quality of our sexual activities,” Kijima counter-argued. “I told him that it would be best then if we do not get married.”

He committed suicide after becoming pessimistic about their future, she says.

Kijima also faces murder charges for the death of Takao Terada, a 53-year-old from Tokyo, and 80-year-old Kenzo Ando, a resident of Noda, Chiba Prefecture. All three of the victims died due to carbon-monoxide poisoning, with two containing sleep-inducing drugs in their systems.

A verdict is expected in April. (A.T.)

Source: “‘Sekkusu no aisho ga warui’ kidai no busu dokufu Kimura Kanae ga asukashita ‘otoko no soju ho,'” Shukan Jitsuwa (Feb. 2, page 46)

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