- Woman arrested for allegedly sewing roommate’s lips shut.
- Victim escaped, sought help with a handwritten note.
- Police investigate motives, relationship, and shared living arrangements.
A 49-year-old Japanese woman has been arrested after allegedly sewing shut the lips of her roommate, leaving the victim unable to eat or speak before she managed to escape and seek help from a nearby shop.
The suspect, identified as Masae Sakurai, was arrested on Monday in Koga, a city in Ibaraki Prefecture, northeast of Tokyo. Police allege that she used a needle and thread to stitch together the lips of a 42-year-old woman with whom she had been living.
Authorities said the investigation remains ongoing and have not disclosed whether Sakurai has admitted to the allegations. Police are examining the motive behind the alleged assault as well as the nature of the relationship between the two women.
Victim Escaped and Sought Help Using a Written Note
According to police, the alleged assault took place at around 1:30 pm local time on June 29.
The victim managed to flee the following day while Sakurai was away from the house. Unable to speak because of her injuries, she wore a white face mask and ran to a nearby shop, where she handed a staff member a handwritten note that read: “Please help me.”
The shop employee immediately contacted police, leading to the launch of an investigation into the incident.
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Victim Says Fear Prevented Earlier Escape
The woman later told investigators that she had not attempted to flee sooner because she was afraid of Sakurai.
“I was afraid of Sakurai, so I couldn’t escape right away,” she told police.
Investigators are continuing to examine the circumstances surrounding the alleged assault and what happened inside the house before the victim escaped.
Police Probe Living Arrangements at House
Police said the two women had been living together at Sakurai’s home since around April 2025.
Authorities also revealed that several other people had been staying at the property. Investigators are questioning them to determine what they may have witnessed and whether anyone was present during the alleged assault.
Officers are exploring the possibility that some of the occupants were inside the house when the incident occurred.
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Neighbours Say Sakurai Often Sheltered People
According to acquaintances quoted by local broadcaster TV Asahi, Sakurai had a history of allowing people who had left their homes to stay with her.
They also claimed she had helped some of those individuals find employment, suggesting that multiple people may have lived at the property at different times.
Police have not indicated whether those living arrangements are connected to the alleged assault, and the investigation is continuing.
