TOKYO (TR) – Prosecutors here have demanded a six-year prison sentence for a 24-year-old woman accused of luring a man to a fatal torture session at the hands of gang members, arguing her actions directly led to his gruesome death, reports Friday (June 23).
Ayuka Tadano is standing trial at the Tokyo District Court on charges of kidnapping for profit and confinement. The case stems from the grisly discovery of a man’s naked body buried two meters deep in a vacant lot in the town of Sakai, Ibaraki Prefecture, last October.
Following a massive police search operation, authorities arrested six men with ties to the Yamaguchi-gumi crime syndicate for abandoning the corpse, subsequently arresting Tadano for confinement.
“Sex using drugs”
According to the indictment, Tadano played a crucial role in the June 2023 kidnapping. Acting on orders from the mobsters, she contacted the victim — from whom she had previously purchased illegal narcotics — and lured him by sending a message offering “sex using drugs.”
Once inside the victim’s residence, Tadano confirmed the presence of narcotics, unlocked the front door, and allowed the gang members to storm the home.
“How are you going to settle this?” the men reportedly yelled, demanding unpaid protection money over his drug sales.
The victim was dragged into a vehicle, his face wrapped in adhesive tape, and his limbs bound. He was then transported to a bowling alley parking lot where the thugs subjected him to horrific abuse, including severe beatings and pressing lit cigarettes into his exposed lower half.
Terror of the syndicate
While Tadano reportedly left the scene before the violence escalated, the victim ultimately died. An autopsy was unable to determine the exact cause of death.
Appearing in court on June 19, Tadano cut a stark contrast to the flashy figure seen in a neon-yellow hoodie at the time of her arrest. Wearing a navy tracksuit and sporting grown-out black roots in her blonde hair, she appeared visibly terrified. She spoke so softly and rapidly that the judge repeatedly ordered her to raise her voice.
Tadano, who partially denied the charges by claiming she was unaware of the confinement plan beforehand, told the court she was indebted to the gangsters. She claimed the men had previously “rescued” her when she was held captive by a compensated dating partner.
When asked why she agreed to set up the victim, she cited terror of the syndicate.
“I didn’t know what they would do to me if I refused. I couldn’t say no out of fear,” Tadano whispered. “The people involved were bad news—anti-social forces. If I had just refused, this wouldn’t have happened.”
Prosecutors argued that Tadano’s trap was the catalyst for the murder, stating she played an “extremely important role” that resulted in a loss of life. They are seeking a six-year prison term, while her defense is pleading for a suspended sentence.
The verdict will be handed down on July 17.
