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Osaka man prosecuted in stabbing death of pregnant neighbor

Hiromi Takihata
Hiromi Takihata

OSAKA (TR) – The Osaka District Public Prosecutor’s Office on Friday filed formal charges against a 54-year-old man accused in the stabbing death of a female neighbor inside an apartment building in Toyonaka City, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Oct. 23).

On May 27, Akihira Uehara is alleged to have used a 12.5-centimeter-long survival knife to stab Hiromi Takihata, 33, in approximately 30 parts of her body, including the face, in front of the building’s sixth floor elevator.

The cause of death was loss of blood.

Police seized the blood-stained murder weapon during a search of Uehara’s residence, according to the Sankei Shimbun (May 28).

Uehara, who has been charged with murder and violating the Swords and Firearms Control Law, has admitted to the charges, saying that he was a stalker. “I was unable to control myself,” the defendant is quoted by police.

At the time of the incident, the defendant and victim were neighbors. The stabbing took place in front of the victim’s one-year-old son, who was unharmed. According to relatives of Takihata, she was several months pregnant with her second daughter.

The results of a four-month psychological examination of Uehara determined that he has the ability to take criminal liability in the case.