ISHIKAWA (TR) – Police have arrested a 30-year-old part-time worker for allegedly stabbing his father — a highly respected chief priest of a historic Buddhist temple — to death at their home in Nanao City, reports TV Asahi (July 9).
Hideji Nagasawa is accused of murdering his 70-year-old father, Hidetoyo, at the residence attached to Koenji Temple in the mountainous area of Nanao.
The grisly crime came to light after the suspect walked into a local convenience store and plainly told a clerk, “I stabbed my father.”
The clerk immediately alerted the authorities. When police rushed to the temple residence at around 2:00 p.m. on July 8, they found Hidetoyo collapsed in the first-floor kitchen and living area. He had been stabbed multiple times in the chest with a bladed weapon and was pronounced dead at the scene.
20 generations
Investigators believe the fatal attack occurred sometime between 9:30 a.m. on July 7 and 1:00 p.m. the following day.
During police questioning, the son admitted to the allegations, telling officers, “There is no doubt that I stabbed him to death.” Police are treating the case as intentional murder.
The violent patricide has sent shockwaves through the quiet rural community. Koenji is a Jodo Shinshu sect temple with a history spanning 500 to 600 years, and the Nagasawa family has managed it for over 20 generations.
“Incredibly warm”
Hidetoyo, who took over as chief priest about five years ago, was widely beloved. A colleague described him as an exceptionally gentle man who cared deeply for others. “He was incredibly warm and always offered careful, considerate advice based on his own experiences. So many people respected him,” the colleague said.
The father and son lived at the temple with Hidetoyo’s elderly mother (the suspect’s grandmother). She was not at home at the time the body was discovered and has been confirmed safe.
Local residents expressed sheer disbelief, noting that the father and son appeared to have a harmonious relationship. Neighbors recalled seeing the two wearing their robes and chanting sutras together, with Hidetoyo reportedly hoping his son would eventually succeed him as head of the temple.
According to police, there were no prior reports or consultations regarding domestic trouble between the two men. Authorities are currently investigating the motive behind the sudden killing.
