Police in Ibaraki Prefecture said the injured woman escaped to a nearby shop with a written plea for help.
KOGA, Japan — A 49-year-old woman was arrested in Ibaraki Prefecture after police said she sewed her housemate’s lips together with a needle and thread during an alleged assault in late June.
Masae Sakurai, a part-time worker in Koga, was arrested Monday on suspicion of assault after the 42-year-old woman fled the home and sought help at a nearby shop, police said. The case has drawn attention in Japan because of the unusual nature of the alleged attack and because investigators are still trying to determine what happened inside the home before the victim escaped.
Police said the alleged assault happened June 29 at Sakurai’s home in Koga, a city in Ibaraki Prefecture northeast of Tokyo. The victim left the home the next day while Sakurai was away, officials said. Unable to speak, she wore a face mask and showed a shop employee a handwritten note that said, “Please help me.” The employee called police, leading officers to the woman and later to Sakurai. A senior local police official said the victim rushed to the store after leaving the residence.
The injured woman told police that Sakurai became angry during a dispute before her lips were sewn, Japanese media reported. Police have not released a full account of the argument or said whether any weapon beyond a needle and thread was recovered. Investigators also have not publicly said whether Sakurai admitted or denied the allegation. Officials said they are looking into reports that at least one other person may have been living at the home at the time.
The two women had been living together before the alleged attack, according to police and local reports. The victim told investigators she had been too afraid to leave earlier. Acquaintances told Japanese media that Sakurai was known to let people stay at her home, including people who had left home or did not have stable housing. Some said she also helped people find work. Police are examining the household arrangement as part of the investigation.
Sakurai was taken into custody on suspicion of assault, and the investigation remains active. Police are expected to continue interviewing the victim, Sakurai and any other people connected to the home. Authorities have not announced additional charges, a court date or a confirmed motive. They also have not released a detailed update on the victim’s condition beyond reports that she was injured and unable to speak after the incident.
The case stands at the investigation stage, with police still working to confirm who was inside the home, what led to the alleged assault and whether other people witnessed any part of it.