After 26 Years, DNA Links Housewife Murder to Husband's Former Classmate

In November 1999, in Nagoya City, a 32-year-old housewife was brutally stabbed to death in front of her 2-year-old child. The victim, Namiko Takaba, was attacked in her apartment with a sharp knife, suffering multiple neck wounds that caused fatal blood loss. Her husband, Satoru Takaba, later confirmed that no knives were missing from their home, suggesting the murder was premeditated. On the afternoon of November 13, the apartment's landlord discovered Namiko lying in the hallway.

The Suspect

From the outset, police suspected the perpetrator might be female, based on bloodstains and footprints found at the scene. Kumiko Yasufuku, now 69, was a high school classmate of Satoru Takaba and had been in the same school club, but reportedly had no personal acquaintance with Namiko. The motive behind the attack remains unknown.

After the murder, Satoru Takaba moved out of the apartment but continued paying rent, preserving the room and its evidence for the investigation. Over the years, despite multiple leads, the case remained unsolved.

DNA Match and Arrest

In 2024, police reopened the investigation, narrowing over 5,000 people of interest down to several hundred and requesting DNA samples as part of the reinvestigation. Kumiko Yasufuku was among those identified. Since August 2025, she had been questioned multiple times by authorities but initially refused to provide her DNA.

On October 30, 2025, Yasufuku submitted her DNA, and the following day she voluntarily appeared at the police station. Authorities confirmed that her DNA matched the bloodstains at the scene, leading to her arrest. She admitted to the charges.

Confession

On November 3, Yasufuku reportedly told investigators, "As the anniversary of the incident approached, I became troubled and depressed. I didn't want to trouble my family or get taken away by the police." She also said that during the 26 years since the crime, she lived in constant anxiety and avoided reading newspapers about the case.

The case underscores the critical importance of preserving physical evidence. Even when a suspect confesses, a case cannot proceed unless evidence such as bloodstains is properly collected and maintained. The recent developments highlight how decades-old evidence can remain crucial to solving cold cases.

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Author: JAPAN Forward and The Sankei Shimbun