TOKYO - A man in his 20s has turned himself in to police, hinting that he might be connected to the tragic incident of two charred bodies near a forest road in Nasu, Tochigi Prefecture.
The bodies were found early on Tuesday morning. The first person to discover them sought help, reporting that he couldn't distinguish if the burning figure was a person or a mannequin. The bodies, one wrapped in a vinyl bag and both covered in adhesive tape, were severely burned, exposing some skin.
According to witnesses and investigators, the victims appeared to have been placed on top of each other face-up. Their faces were wrapped in tape, hands tied, and one reportedly wore what seemed to be women's boots. A container, possibly for gasoline, was found burnt nearby.
One of the victims was identified as Ryutaro Takarajima, 55. The other victim, a woman, remains unidentified but is believed to be between 40 to 60 years old and about 162 cm tall. Both had been strangled to death, with the woman also suffering a fractured skull.
The relevance of the victims to this rural area is still unclear. Nasu, located near the borders of Fukushima and Ibaraki in Tochigi Prefecture, is about 150 kilometers from Tokyo's Taito district, where Takarajima was registered.
Takarajima owned several businesses, including over ten restaurants in Ueno, Tokyo, ranging from BBQ joints to real estate and import sales of Chinese and Korean fashion goods.
An ex-employee of one of Takarajima's restaurants commented on his hands-on approach, often performing repairs himself, which earned him deep respect.
The reason why the bodies were burnt and left in such a secluded area remains a mystery. The location is surrounded by mountains, dark at night, and without street lighting, accessible only by forest roads used by workers.
A local resident noted that the area is typically very quiet, with sounds from the river audible even during sleeping hours. The community is occasionally visited by foreigners and locals collecting scrap metal or farming equipment.
Police are currently questioning the young man who came forward, believing he may know something about the incident. They are also considering the possibility of multiple people being involved in the case.
Source: TBS
