Woman’s dismembered body found in Japan; married man arrested

TOKYO – The body of a 33-year-old single mother was found dismembered in Japan in the home of a married man with whom she had allegedly been having an affair, according to a report in The Straits Times yesterday.

Body parts of the victim, Ayumi Ito, were found on the balcony of the suspect’s home in Shizuoka prefecture on the south coast of Japan, as well as in his car.

Police arrested the suspect, Yuki Tsuchiya, 31, on Feb. 23, Fuji News Network reported. The crime is believed to have been committed on Feb. 21.

Tsuchiya has since confessed that he chopped up Ito’s body in his home.

Public broadcaster NHK, citing unnamed sources, reported on Monday that he told investigators he hit Ito on her head with a blunt object in her car, and strangled her with a cord.

Neighbors reportedly heard suspicious noises coming from his home in Numazu, a city in Shizuoka, where he lives with his wife, two young children and his elderly father.

“Ito lived in Iwata, about 130 kilometers away, or a two-hour drive. Her car was found in a carpark about 280m away from the suspect’s home,” The Straits Times added.

Ito is believed to have met Tsuchiya in 2022, when they were members of a committee that contributes to the development of Shizuoka prefecture.

According to screenshots of his LinkedIn page, which has been taken down, he has been working as an adviser at Manulife insurance company since 2020.

The news of this murder follows that of Hong Kong socialite Abby Choi, 28, whose headless body was discovered on Friday.