HYOGO (TR) – Police in Kobe City launched a murder investigation after a sex worker and a male customer were found dead in a locked room at a commercial sex establishment on June 28.
Investigators suspect the man fatally stabbed the woman before turning the blade on himself in a murder-suicide fueled by obsession, reports News Post Seven (July 1).
The grisly discovery was made at approximately 9:55 p.m. inside a high-end soapland in Fukuharacho, Hyogo Ward, a historic red-light district located near Shinkaichi Station.
According to investigative sources, the male customer had booked a six-hour session with the woman that evening. When the time expired and staff received no response, a male employee checked the room.
Finding it locked from the inside, the staff member unlocked the door and discovered the pair bleeding heavily but still fully clothed.
According to police, the woman, who was lying on her side on a sofa, had multiple cuts and stab wounds to her neck and chest, and the man was found lying face-down on a bed with a knife embedded in his chest.
“Obsessed with her”
Police later revealed the man to be Ryo Tsubosaka, a 33-year-old real estate agent who resided in Ikuno Ward, Osaka City. The female employee, 33, also lived in Osaka City. Autopsies revealed that both died from blood loss.
Tsubosaka had been frequenting the establishment for two to three years and was known as a massive spender. A regular patron of the shop revealed that the victim affectionately referred to him as “Ace-niki” (Brother Ace).
“He was completely obsessed with her,” the patron said. “He was so invested that he would sometimes buy her time slots even when he couldn’t actually visit the shop.”
The chaotic aftermath of the incident spilled into the streets. An eyewitness reported seeing emergency responders performing CPR on the man in front of the shop.
“He still had something like a knife sticking out of his chest,” the witness said. “I immediately thought it was a murder. Once they realized he was gone, they put him on a stretcher, wrapped him in a blue tarp, and carried him away.”
Locals described the victim as a highly popular “veteran” who had worked in the area for at least five years. The parlor, which charges between 37,000 and 62,000 yen per session, is known as a premium establishment.
An employee from a nearby information booth noted that it is highly unusual for such playrooms to have locks on the inside, suggesting the victim was trapped and terrified when the man produced the blade.
“I believe in you”
Adding a chilling layer to the investigation, ominous messages appeared on an anonymous bulletin board linked to the shop just hours before the killings.
At 5:27 p.m. on the day of the incident, a user wrote: “I believe in you. Even if everyone in the world betrays you, I will absolutely believe in you.”
Just over two hours later, at 8:07 p.m., another post read: “Just a little longer until the legendary countdown lol. What were you believing in?”
Authorities are currently investigating the events that led to the fatal encounter.
