Japan - Namiko Takaba (32) murdered at home, 13 Nov 1999

[Kittybunny]

Hello! @FacelessPodcast - thank you for bringing us another fascinating Japanese case! Also, when I started reading this thread last night, I was not expecting a resolution!

Thank you to all of you posting and translating all the articles from the Japanese press.

A question: It was her confession and turning herself in that led to her arrest, correct? They proved her confession by then testing her DNA after, rather than obtaining her DNA some other way (she committed another crime, collected from discarded items)?

It seems strange that she wasn’t closer to the top of the suspect list. It does seem obvious now, but hindsight is 20/20. And certainly we follow our share of cases where the suspect is strongly suspected but there is just not enough evidence for an arrest.

Fingers crossed for a resolution of the Miyazawa murders soon as well!

 

[Incoherent]

A question: It was her confession and turning herself in that led to her arrest, correct? They proved her confession by then testing her DNA after, rather than obtaining her DNA some other way (she committed another crime, collected from discarded items)?

RSBM
Hi Kitty, to answer your question: the suspect had been narrowed down to a list of people who had either not been questioned yet or had not been investigated enough to be satisfactorily excluded. The suspect had been questioned several times over this year leading to the police requesting a DNA sample, which she initially refused to give. She resisted since August and eventually complied in October as others that were being questioned submitted their’s and were being cleared one by one.
Knowing that it was over for her as soon as it was compared to the blood left at the scene she gave herself up and admitted she was the murderer after submitting the sample.

It seems strange that she wasn’t closer to the top of the suspect list.

“Strange” is a much kinder word that I would use!

 

[Incoherent]

名古屋主婦殺害の安福久美子容疑者、夫不在の「曜日」把握か…事件５か月前の部活ＯＢ・ＯＧ会で

【読売新聞】　名古屋市西区のアパートで１９９９年１１月、 高羽 （ たかば ） 奈美子さん（当時３２歳）が刺殺された事件で、殺人の疑いで逮捕された安福久美子容疑者（６９）が事件５か月前にあった部活動のＯＢ・ＯＧ会で高羽さんの夫が不在

www.yomiuri.co.jp

Various sources are reporting that the alumni reunion was not in 1998 (an year prior to the murder), but only 5 months prior (so in June?).

This source reports that Yasufuku Kumiko was there and was eavesdropping on Satoru's conversation with other people where he was talking about his job and the days he was at work.

Not only this could be the way she found out he would not be home, but possibly also the area where he lived?

All speculation for now, but the alumni meeting seems to be the turning point and also what triggered the murderous intent in the first place.

To reply to this again: it was just confirmed on the news 中京テレビ this evening that the tennis alumni meet with the suspect and Satoru was in fact in June 1999, with the murder happening in November 1999 just 5 months later.

 

[Charlot123]

Having read about this case, I Googled "Blood groups in Japan". I fully expected the question about a blood group in Japan to be considered inappropriate because of privacy, but no such thing!

Blood type personality theory - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Apparently, there is a theory about "blood group personality types" which is as science-based and of similar predictive value as our horoscopes/s. In fact, it is a form of horoscopes, so a discussion about blood groups is very appropriate and commonplace in Japan, especially among women!

So a statement, "you must be a B group" would probably be similar to, "you must be a Taurus" here.

If so, it would have been difficult to avoid a "blood group horoscope" conversation for Yasufuku.

Granted, B blood group is more common in Japan (approximately 20%) than in the US (approximately 10%), but still not on top.

 

[Charlot123]

Not much new, just the photos of Satoru Takaba and Kumiko Yasufuku when they were young.

Japan man rents wife’s murder flat for 20 years, preserves crime scene, spends US$145,000

Grieving husband of multiple stabbing victim refuses to clean up bloodstains; police reopen case, female killer confesses.

amp.scmp.com

 

[Incoherent]

There has been a lot revealed about the suspect Kumiko Yasufuku, about her home life, children, and residences over the years.

But today Yahoo News reports the reason why no clear motive has been reported yet is that she has elected to remain silent and is refusing interrogation. After making her initial statements during arrest, the suspect made it known her intention to remain silent moving forward.

 

[Eliver]

There has been a lot revealed about the suspect Kumiko Yasufuku, about her home life, children, and residences over the years.

But today Yahoo News reports the reason why no clear motive has been reported yet is that she has elected to remain silent and is refusing interrogation. After making her initial statements during arrest, the suspect made it known her intention to remain silent moving forward.

It is probable she will now only talk through her lawyer(s).
This will likely make things even harder.

I mean, it's not difficult to imagine a motive, but the reconstruction of the whole murder will likely require a longer time now.

Unless she changes her mind, we can only wait for the police to do their thing.

 

[Charlot123]

It is probable she will now only talk through her lawyer(s).
This will likely make things even harder.

I mean, it's not difficult to imagine a motive, but the reconstruction of the whole murder will likely require a longer time now.

Unless she changes her mind, we can only wait for the police to do their thing.

The lawyer will apologize in her name again to Namiko’s family and say that she is sorry for what she’s done.

JMO. She is ashamed, this is why we won’t hear from her. But the shame is not for the murder. She is ashamed that she’s lost her face as a woman. A woman who fell hopelessly in love with a man and he never, ever needed her. In this regard, Satoru never marrying, raising the child alone and keeping that apartment for 26 years must have been an additional humiliation - because even in death, Namiko has won. And if indeed Satoru started suspecting Yasufuku only recently, it is even worse for her. He didn’t consider Yasufuku important enough in his life.

JMO. It is a sad consolation, but I think Yasufuko did feel humiliated all these years because Satoru was emotionally faithful to his slain wife. I don’t know how she felt about him.

Poor Namiko whose life was cut so short. I am very glad that Kohei grew up such a nice man and got married.

Maybe studying her psychological type with tests, the level of obsessiveness and other traits will be something criminology could get from the case.

 

[Eliver]

【独自】安福久美子容疑者（69）の約10年前の写真入手 当時50代 カメラにほほえむ女… 知人は「優しく明るい人だった」 26年前の名古屋主婦殺害事件（CBCテレビ） - Yahoo!ニュース

26年前、名古屋市西区で主婦が殺害された事件で、逮捕された女について知人が「優しく明るい人だった」と話していることが分かりました。CBCテレビは10年ほど前の女の写真を独自に入手しました。 カメラ

news.yahoo.co.jp

Yahoo News has published a more recent picture of the suspect dated around 10 years ago, give or take.

As a matter of fact, I don't see the resemblance with the police sketch.

 

[Charlot123]

【独自】安福久美子容疑者（69）の約10年前の写真入手 当時50代 カメラにほほえむ女… 知人は「優しく明るい人だった」 26年前の名古屋主婦殺害事件（CBCテレビ） - Yahoo!ニュース

26年前、名古屋市西区で主婦が殺害された事件で、逮捕された女について知人が「優しく明るい人だった」と話していることが分かりました。CBCテレビは10年ほど前の女の写真を独自に入手しました。 カメラ

news.yahoo.co.jp

Yahoo News has published a more recent picture of the suspect dated around 10 years ago, give or take.

As a matter of fact, I don't see the resemblance with the police sketch.

Definitely not with the age progression.

(However, we are looking at a smiling photo of a well-dressed woman and the witnesses looked at a person who just killed another human being.)

What is similar are wide cheekbones, somewhat chubby cheeks and wide nasal bridge. Yasufuku on photos looks Japanese or maybe Japanese/Korean. The sketch looks more Siberian, tbh.

 

[Charlot123]

This article is interesting. Especially how she became invisible after the statute of limitations was canceled.

「『あまり外に出られない。ごめんね』と…」”普通の主婦”だった安福久美子容疑者の「26年間の隠伏での変化」、知人は「普段どおりの生活が“透明人間”になる手段だったのか…」《名古屋主婦殺人》（NEWSポストセブン） - Yahoo!ニュース

愛知・名古屋市西区の主婦殺人事件の被疑者として26年越しに逮捕された安福久美子容疑者（69）。安福容疑者は1999年11月、同区稲生町のアパートで主婦の高羽奈美子さん（当時32）の首を複数回刺すな

news.yahoo.co.jp

Also: Satoru is angry and says there is no way to end the trial until she tells everything. And if she doesn’t, it will drag on. What a strong man.

The situation is different, but she slightly resembles Katelyn Armstrong. “I am no worse than her” is the motive.

 

[dotr]

Definitely not with the age progression.

(However, we are looking at a smiling photo of a well-dressed woman and the witnesses looked at a person who just killed another human being.)

What is similar are wide cheekbones, somewhat chubby cheeks and wide nasal bridge. Yasufuku on photos looks Japanese or maybe Japanese/Korean. The sketch looks more Siberian, tbh.

A photo of the suspect Anfuku about 10 years ago (in his 50s at the time)

 

[Charlot123]

View attachment 624613
A photo of the suspect Anfuku about 10 years ago (in his 50s at the time)

View attachment 624614

Yasufuku might have done some cosmetic procedures btw. She appears to take a good care of herself. And she looks different at 50.

Now, the sketch might resemble Yasufuku 26 years ago. Even on younger photos, high cheekbones, pronounced cheeks, rather meaty nose, deep nasolabial folds and small mouth are noticeable. What seems different are the eyebrows (but the shape can be corrected) and the chin (real Yasufuku has a slightly pointed one, but it looks rounded on the sketch).

But of course, the real person and the sketch look different.

One wonders if at 50, Yasufuku used fillers, because the face appears wider and nasolabial folds are much less pronounced than in her youth. She probably took a good care of herself. Only the hands tell her age. (It is saddening, the killer pampers herself and the victim is deprived of this chance.)

 

[Incoherent]

This could have been avoided if the use of DNA for a facial reconstruction was permitted as soon as it became available. Instead we have a sketch of her at 43 looking more haggard and bearing little to no resemblance to her in the photo at 59, 16 years later.

We could speculate on cosmetic procedures and deliberate changes to appearance, but the real issue at hand here is depending on age progressed witnesses sketches in 2025 when a plethora of DNA has been available for 26 years. Any one of her neighbours or colleagues, or even her family, could have seen the reconstruction and recognised her from that time.

I too see basically no resemblance.

 

[Charlot123]

This could have been avoided if the use of DNA for a facial reconstruction was permitted as soon as it became available. Instead we have a sketch of her at 43 looking more haggard and bearing little to no resemblance to her in the photo at 59, 16 years later.

We could speculate on cosmetic procedures and deliberate changes to appearance, but the real issue at hand here is depending on age progressed witnesses sketches in 2025 when a plethora of DNA has been available for 26 years. Any one of her neighbours or colleagues, or even her family, could have seen the reconstruction and recognised her from that time.

I too see basically no resemblance.

DNA facial reconstruction that is imperfect today, but will no doubt, improve, still has the same limitations. Plastic surgery can alter the face (see Katelyn Armstrong - in was not a DNA reconstruction, the marshals looked for her. She escaped to another country and changed the face to look like her sister).

But DNA facial + body reconstruction could be very helpful. A person can’t change everything about them, after all.

 

[Eliver]

容疑者の逮捕後初の命日…名古屋の主婦殺害事件から26年 女の“取り調べ拒否”に被害者の夫「自分の保身しか…」｜FNNプライムオンライン

名古屋市西区で主婦の高羽奈美子さん(当時32)が殺害された事件から、13日で26年となりました。容疑者が逮捕されて初めての命日を迎え、夫・悟さんが心境を語りました。1999年11月13日、西区稲生町のアパートで主婦の高羽奈美子さん(当時32)が殺害された事件では、先月末、夫・悟さんの高校の同級生だった港区のアルバイト・安福久美子容疑者(69)が逮捕されました。高羽悟さん：「『最後のビラ配りで、来年は集まらないようにしましょう』と約束して、いつもビラ配りをやっていたんですけど、ついに念願がかなっ…

www.fnn.jp

Today marks the 26th anniversary of the murder.

Satoru has shared his perspective saying that he is glad the culprit was finally caught and that for the first time this year there will be no more need to handle flyers outside the station.

On the other hand, Satoru has also expressed - and understandably so - his disappointment over Yasufuku Kumiko's choice to keep silent, deeming her behavior "simply trying to protect herself".

Needless to say, I think Satoru was at the very least owed an explanation so that the trial could just end this whole ordeal once and for all and bring closure to the bereaved.

November 13, 1999.
Rest in peace Namiko Takaba.

 

[Incoherent]

Still no motive given, but getting closer.

Yahoo News reports that before the suspect chose to remain silent she said that she hated Satoru for his “views on women and child-rearing”, insinuating that he has treated women badly in the past or spoken about them in a certain way.
Satoru responds to this that he has “absolutely zero recollection” of any kind of conversation like this taking place.

It is looking more likely that rather than obsessive infatuation with Satoru that spurned the murder of his wife, it was actually hatred.

Why she chose to murder Namiko would only be speculation at this point, but again I’m going to leave that until more news hopefully surfaces.

 

[dotr]

Sometimes, the miserable feel better after they rain on the parade of the joyful, imo, speculation.
Nov. 13 2025

Husband of victim in 1999 Nagoya killing reflects on late wife’s life

Namiko Takaba was attacked while at home with her 2-year-old son, Kohei.

www.japantimes.co.jp

Namiko Takaba, her son Kohei Takaba, and husband Satoru Takaba | SATORU TAKABA / VIA JIJI

''Namiko Takaba, a 32-year-old homemaker in Nagoya, was murdered 26 years ago on Thursday.
What her husband, Satoru Takaba, now 69, remembers most is something she once told him: “I might be the happiest right now that I’ve ever been.”

https://japan-forward.com/after-26-years-dna-links-housewife-murder-to-husbands-former-classmate/
Photo of suspect Kumiko Yasufuku from her high school yearbook.

Murder suspect Kumiko Yasufuku as a high school student in the 1970s. At the time, she was a classmate of Satoru Takaba, whose wife, Namiko, was fatally stabbed in 1999. (Provided by a source)

 

[Charlot123]

Still no motive given, but getting closer.

Yahoo News reports that before the suspect chose to remain silent she said that she hated Satoru for his “views on women and child-rearing”, insinuating that he has treated women badly in the past or spoken about them in a certain way.
Satoru responds to this that he has “absolutely zero recollection” of any kind of conversation like this taking place.

It is looking more likely that rather than obsessive infatuation with Satoru that spurned the murder of his wife, it was actually hatred.

Why she chose to murder Namiko would only be speculation at this point, but again I’m going to leave that until more news hopefully surfaces.

Do you, @Incoherent , happen to remember how in one article the classmates of Satoru said that Yasufuku was crying and complaining? It was an unpleasant scene, only I don’t understand when in happened. Either when she attended Satoru’s University game, or when she came to the reunion?

(I think once Satoru rejected her advances at school, Yasufuko started stalking “the one that got away”. First, she created a “crying scene” to attract attention of him, and then, was complaining “poor me” to cause sorrow at the reunion, or maybe it all happened at the same time? It looks like attention-seeking behavior. If I were to guess, Satoru merely kept a barrier. Not being sucked into “oh, poor you” mode, but “ok, do your best”. And now she “hates” him because he never got involved in her drama.)

Anyhow, even if Yasufuku was a feminist, killing another woman, a young mother, would be a very hard to sell line of defense

(My guess about the next turn: she had a difficult father, and Satoru reminded her of him.)

 

[Incoherent]

Do you, @Incoherent , happen to remember how in one article the classmates of Satoru said that Yasufuku was crying and complaining? It was an unpleasant scene, only I don’t understand when in happened. Either when she attended Satoru’s University game, or when she came to the reunion?

(I think once Satoru rejected her advances at school, Yasufuko started stalking “the one that got away”. First, she created a “crying scene” to attract attention of him, and then, was complaining “poor me” to cause sorrow at the reunion, or maybe it all happened at the same time? It looks like attention-seeking behavior. If I were to guess, Satoru merely kept a barrier. Not being sucked into “oh, poor you” mode, but “ok, do your best”. And now she “hates” him because he never got involved in her drama.)

Anyhow, even if Yasufuku was a feminist, killing another woman, a young mother, would be a very hard to sell line of defense

(My guess about the next turn: she had a difficult father, and Satoru reminded her of him.)

It was after the university tennis game that she attended. She waited until Satoru came home and approached him, then he took her to a cafe where she began to cry after confessing her feelings to him but was rejected again.

The interaction between them both at the alumni tennis club reunion in 1999, according to Satoru, was no more than a brief conversation that they are both married and working hard. Satoru wished her his best and she did the same back.
Others at the meet reported remembering Satoru speaking aloud about his job as a real estate agent at the time and needing to work Saturdays and Sundays, and it is speculated that is how the suspect knew he wouldn’t be at home that Saturday morning.

Not much else has been reported about that tennis reunion, but it wouldn’t surprise me if there was a luncheon or dinner involved where the attendees spoke more and perhaps, as the suspect claims, some offhanded comments were said or the conversations went a certain way especially if there was alcohol involved. This bit is all speculation from me.