News On Japan

Man suspected in fatal stabbing of ex-girlfriend ‘wanted to get back together’

Oct 02 (tokyoreporter.com) - A 35-year-old man in custody over the alleged fatal stabbing of his former girlfriend this week has told police that he carried out the crime after she refused to get back together with him, reports TBS News (Oct. 1).

On Thursday morning, police sent Yoshihito Mizumoto, a company employee, to prosecutors on suspicion of murder.

At just past 9:00 a.m. on Wednesday, he allegedly used a knife to stab Satomi Ishizawa, a 23-year-old company employee, near the neck area on a road in the Shinkoshigaya area of Koshigaya City.

Ishizawa, a resident of Kawaguchi City, was transported to a hospital in a state of cardiac arrest. She was later confirmed dead, police said.

“Between September of last year and July we were in a relationship. After I pressed her to get back together, I stabbed her when she refused,” the suspect was quoted by police.

Blood-soaked breathing mask

After the incident, officers arriving at the scene arrested Mizumoto, a resident of Kisarazu City, Chiba Prefecture, on suspicion of attempted murder. That charge was later changed to murder.

Police also found a bloodstained knife with a 20-centimeter-long blade that is believed to have been used in the crime. A blood-soaked breathing mask, presumably worn by the victim, was also retrieved at the scene, according to Fuji News Network (Sept. 30).

Police believe that Mizumoto drove to the scene of the crime to ambush Ishizawa.

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