WAKAYAMA (TR) – One year after the suspicious death of a real estate magnate and noted womanizer, Wakayama Prefectural Police have made little progress in the case, reports NHK (June 28).
On the night of May 24, 2018, the wife of Kosuke Nozaki, 77, found him not breathing on a sofa in a second-floor bedroom of their palatial residence in Tanabe City. He was later confirmed dead.
A subsequent examination of Nozaki’s stomach and blood revealed a large quantity of chemical components of kakuseizai, or stimulant drugs. The cause of death was later revealed to have been acute stimulant-drug poisoning, according to police.
An examination of his arms and other parts of his body did not reveal any marks from an injection, which led police to conclude the drugs were taken orally.
After launching an investigation on suspicion of murder, police searched locations connected to Nozaki’s housekeeper and their family, all located in Tokyo. As well, police conducted analyses of the urine of persons connected to Nozaki, seeking to learn if any of the results provide a positive result for stimulant drugs. However, no leads surfaced as a result.
Police also seized about 2,000 bottles of beer from the residence and his company, which is in the alcoholic drinks industry. However, none of them were found to have been laced with stimulant drugs.
Amassed tremendous wealth
Nozaki amassed tremendous wealth through work in the real estate, consumer lending and agriculture industries. His residence in Tanabe is adorned with works of art.
During a tour of the second floor of the residence provided to media outlets, two safes — one standing 1.4 meters tall, the other 1.8 meters — were shown. After being opened by the manufacturer, police found their contents to be a suit and necktie yet no cash. A brown suitcase found in the room was empty.
According to sources connected to Nozaki’s company, he is known to have stored about 200 million yen in cash in the residence. Police suspect that someone removed the cash prior to the start of their investigation, which is being treated as murder.
Nozaki frequently boasted about relationships with women. In 2016, he penned “Don Juan of Wakayama: The Man Who Has Supported 4,000 Women with 3 Billion Yen.” Weekly magazines and television programs began to subsequently refer to him as “Don Juan.” In February, 2018, Nozaki married his wife, who was 55 years his junior.
