On Thursday morning, cameras were permitted inside the palatial residence of Kosuke Nozaki, 77, who was found not breathing on a sofa in a second-floor bedroom by his wife on the night of May 24. He was later confirmed dead.
A subsequent examination of Nozaki’s body 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.
During the tour of that same floor, 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.
Through early June, police searched locations connected to Nozaki’s housekeeper and their family, all located in Tokyo. Police have also 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.
Police have also seized about 2,000 bottles of beer from the residence and his company, which is in the alcoholic drinks industry. Police are examining the bottles to determine whether any of them had been laced with stimulant drugs.
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.
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.” This past February, Nozaki married his current wife, who is 55 years his junior.
