Susukino Beheading: Why an Entire Japanese Family is Standing Trial
Tamura Runa beheaded a man in a hotel in Sapporo — and her parents are now standing trial along with her. What happened?
By Jay Allen
Japan has less than 1,000 murders per year. That makes any murder here news. The case of 30-year-old Tamura Runa (田村瑠奈), however, has drawn particular interest. One reason is the grisly method of murder: beheading. The other is that Tamura’s parents, Osamu and Hiroko, are standing trial as co-conspirators.
We still don’t have the full picture of what happened or why. Here’s what we know so far — and how her parents are attempting to defend themselves.
Beheading in Sapporo’s red light district
Susukino in Hokkaido’s city of Sapporo is to Sapporo what Kabukicho is to Tokyo. Known as one of Japan’s top three red-light districts alongside Kabukicho and Fukuoka’s Nakasu, Susukino is home to a large number of restaurants, host clubs, cabaret clubs, love hotels, and other establishments.
Last year, it was also the scene of a grisly murder.
