49-year-old Japanese woman arrested for allegedly sewing roommate's lips shut after argument

(CNA Tokyo, July 9) Japanese media reported that on June 29, in a residence in Koga City, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan, a 49-year-old woman allegedly used needle and thread to sew the lips of her 42-year-old female roommate. She was arrested by police on July 6 on suspicion of assault.

According to reports from Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) and Japan's TBS Television, the arrested woman is Masue Sakurai, 49, who identifies herself as a part-time worker. She is suspected of sewing her 42-year-old female roommate's upper and lower lips multiple times with needle and thread in a residence in Koga City on June 29.

The victim's mouth was pierced multiple times with needle and thread from below the nose to below the lower lip, and her upper and lower lips were sewn shut, preventing her from drinking, eating, or speaking for a full 24 hours from the 29th to the 30th.

The incident came to light on June 30. A shop owner near the residence where the incident occurred stated that a woman wearing a mask sought help at the shop on the 30th, holding a note that read "Help me."

The store clerk immediately called the police. The victim was unable to speak at the time due to her lips being sewn shut.

Police revealed that because the stitches passed through the inside of the victim's mouth, it was difficult to notice from the outside at first glance. The victim managed to escape from the residence while Sakurai was out.

The victim told the police, "I was too scared of Masue Sakurai, so I couldn't escape immediately." Police also revealed that the victim explained the cause of the incident was "because of some dispute, the suspect suddenly became enraged, and then her lips were sewn shut."

Police had not previously disclosed whether Sakurai confessed. However, according to the latest news, Sakurai has denied the police's accusations.

TBS Television visited the residence where the incident occurred and interviewed friends and colleagues of Sakurai, discovering that she moved into the residence about a year ago. Besides the victim, there seemed to be other people living with her.

A former colleague of Sakurai said, "I heard she would let people who ran away from home and had nowhere to go stay with her, and even help them find jobs." However, she also pointed out that she heard Sakurai charged these people money, and it didn't seem like she was providing accommodation out of charity.

A friend who visited Sakurai's residence about a year ago said, "After entering the entrance of the house, there was a hallway, and Sakurai's room was at the very end. The space was narrow, about 6 tatami mats (approximately 3 tsubo) with a double bed, and her cat was there too. It seemed like that was her own living space."

The friend also said that they vaguely sensed something was off when they visited at the time, and pointed out, "Besides Masue Sakurai, there seemed to be two other people inside. Although the situation wasn't very clear, I thought at the time, 'Why is this person here?' 'What are they doing?' Later, I found out they were cleaning."

Reports indicate that Sakurai was working part-time at a restaurant until February 2025. A former colleague who worked with her revealed that Sakurai herself had mentioned this.

Sakurai's former colleague said, "They seemed like roommates, or like a shared house. She herself said, 'I get money from my roommates.'"

In addition, Sakurai's former colleague pointed out that although Sakurai would come to work normally, she would sometimes lie to leave early. For example, she would say, "My husband's life is in danger, I need to go to the hospital," but in reality, she would go to parties and drink.

Just one month before the incident, a neighbor of Sakurai took a strange photo. The photo shows a woman wearing a short-sleeved shirt, curled up with her knees hugged to her chest, squatting outside the residence where the incident occurred.

The neighbor said the woman in the photo had been squatting outside since late at night. He added, "When I went to work in the morning, she was still squatting there in the pouring rain. I thought it was a bit strange at the time, but it was difficult to approach her, so I didn't know whether to call the police." It is currently unclear whether the woman in the photo is the victim in this case.

Police are currently investigating the relationship between Sakurai and the victim, as well as the detailed circumstances of the incident. (Compiled by Li Jing) 1150709

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