A heartbreaking story from Japan has stunned people around the world. A man kept paying rent for 26 years on the apartment where his wife was murdered just to preserve the crime scene and help police find the killer. His long wait finally ended this year when the suspect walked into a police station and confessed.
A Husband’s Extraordinary Devotion
In 1999, 29-year-old Namiko Takaba was found murdered in her apartment in Nagoya. She had been stabbed multiple times with a sharp object. Her two-year-old son was found unharmed beside her.
Her husband, Satoru Takaba, was devastated. But he was determined that one day, police would find the person who took his wife’s life. He believed the crime scene held important clues so he did something almost unimaginable.
For the next 26 years, Takaba kept the apartment exactly as it was. He did not clean the bloodstains.
He did not move a single item. He and his son lived somewhere else, but he continued to pay the rent regularly.
In total, he spent 22 million yen (about US$145,000) just to preserve the flat. He never remarried and devoted his life to seeking justice. He even handed out flyers on the streets and gave media interviews asking anyone with information to come forward.
Police Question 5,000 People, but No Breakthrough
The case received massive attention. Over the years, 100,000 police officers worked on it, and investigators questioned about 5,000 people. But nothing led to solid evidence.
All investigators knew was that the suspect was a woman:
- Blood type B
- About 1.6 meters tall
- Wore size-24 shoes
But without DNA, the trail went cold.
The Killer Returns After 26 Years
Everything changed on October 30, 2025, when a 69-year-old woman named Kumiko Yasufuku turned herself in. She had been a secondary school classmate of Takaba.
Police had questioned her years ago, but she had refused DNA testing at that time.
When DNA from the crime scene was retested last year, investigators again looked at people from the couple’s past. This time, Yasufuku could not escape. She finally confessed and provided a blood sample—DNA matched instantly.
A Murder Motivated by Jealousy
Yasufuku told police she had once had a crush on Takaba. She had even sent him chocolates and a love letter on Valentine’s Day many years earlier. But he rejected her.
After Takaba married Namiko, she grew jealous and decided to take revenge. On November 13, 1999, she entered their home and killed Namiko.
For more than two decades, she lived near the same neighborhood, constantly afraid of being caught. “I was haunted every day,” she told police. “I want to apologize to Namiko.”
‘I Never Thought It Was Her,’ Says Husband
When Takaba heard the suspect’s name, he was stunned. “She lived close by all these years,” he said. “I never imagined she was the one.”
His friends congratulated him, saying his persistence had finally paid off. “For 26 years I kept paying the rent,” he said quietly. “Now I know it was worth it. But my heart still hurts for Namiko.”
