Kitakyushu, May 30, 2025 (News On Japan) - The body of an 87-year-old man who served as the chairman of a civil engineering and construction firm was found buried beneath a pile of soil at a materials storage yard in Kitakyushu on May 20th, prompting an ongoing investigation that now includes possible murder charges. The police arrested the chairman’s son the following day, and on May 23rd, also arrested a woman acquainted with the son, believing the two had conspired to abandon the body.
The victim, Ryuuichi Kayama, disappeared on April 17th while riding in a suspicious vehicle. His body was later discovered wrapped in a sheet and buried under soil at a site in Kokuraminami Ward. Authorities arrested his 46-year-old son, Ryouma Kayama, on suspicion of corpse abandonment, followed by the arrest of 42-year-old Mayumi Fukuda, a longtime acquaintance of the Kayama family. Both suspects have denied the allegations.
Police say Ryouma and Fukuda have known each other since childhood, and Fukuda had a longstanding relationship with the Kayama family. According to an acquaintance, Fukuda had worked as a hostess at various bars and was known for her brash personality, described as someone who “remained a delinquent into adulthood.”
Company associates claim Ryouma had a history of womanizing and debts. Investigators believe he had disputes with his father over financial matters and company management. No prior issues have been confirmed between Fukuda and Ryuuichi, and police suspect Ryouma led the crime. Although Fukuda was not at the storage site when the body was buried, phone records show she had spoken with Ryouma just hours before Ryuuichi went missing.
The police believe Ryuuichi was strangled and then transported by car to the site where his body was concealed. As they move forward with the investigation, authorities are considering laying murder charges as they seek to uncover the full circumstances surrounding the crime.
Source: RKB毎日放送NEWS
