CHIBA (TR) – Chiba Prefectural Police have arrested a 30-year-old man over the fatal assault of a woman who had previously mentioned online that she wanted to commit suicide, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Dec. 10).
At around 9:15 p.m. on Saturday, the body of Uran Hirayama, 20, was found lying face-up on a futon in her apartment in Chiba City’s Inage Ward by officers from the Chiba-Kita Police Station. Marks on her neck were consistent with strangulation.
Police later arrested Keisuke Kawasaki, a part-time employee living in Mihama Ward, on suspicion of assault. “I strangled her with my hands,” the suspect was quoted by police in admitting to the allegations.
Earlier in the day, a female acquaintance of Hirayama telephoned Saitama Prefectural Police to report that Hirayama had written via the smartphone application Line that she wanted to kill herself. Saitama police then alerted officers at the Chiba-Kita Police Station.
At the time of entry, the front door of Hirayama’s residence was locked, and its interior had not been ransacked.
Police are now investigating what relationship existed between the suspect and victim.
