68-Year-Old Grandfather Distributes Flyers to Gather Clues
On November 13, 2023, in the commercial facilities of Nishi Ward, Nagoya City, Aichi Prefecture, Japan, 68-year-old Satoru Takaha, along with his family and police, distributed flyers to over 30 people, hoping to gather more clues for a murder case that occurred 25 years ago.
(Satoru Takaha distributing flyers) 
Satoru Takaha’s wife, Namiko Takaha, was brutally killed at home by an unknown assailant when she was just 32 years old.
The incident took place on the afternoon of November 13, 1999.
The Takaha family of three rented an apartment in Inabu Town, Nishi Ward, Nagoya.
(The apartment where the incident occurred)
That afternoon, Satoru was at work in Nagoya when he received news from a neighbor that his wife, Namiko, was in critical condition at home. Satoru rushed back to find her lying in a pool of blood in the hallway by the entrance.
(Namiko Takaha and her son Kohei Takaha)
Their 2-year-old son, Kohei Takaha, sat unharmed beside her.
Namiko had been stabbed in the neck, causing fatal blood loss. The entranceway showed traces of blood and shoe prints, possibly left by the murderer.
Nothing in the apartment was stolen, suggesting that the murderer might have killed Namiko in front of Kohei using a sharp weapon.
However, Kohei, being very young, might not have understood the gravity of the situation.
(The apartment where the incident occurred)
On the same day, several witnesses saw a suspicious woman near the apartment. She had an injured hand, which was possibly still bleeding.
Investigators determined that the murderer was likely a woman with type B blood, around 160 cm tall, wearing size 24 shoes, and between 40 to 50 years old (now estimated to be in her 60s to 70s).
After the incident, Satoru moved back to his parents’ home with Kohei but would occasionally return to the apartment, leaving it untouched. On the bookshelf, he kept CDs and recipes that Namiko loved, memories flooding back each time.
(The apartment where the incident occurred)
Satoru decided not to clean up the apartment, continuing to rent it in hopes of preserving the crime scene and catching the murderer.
(The apartment where the incident occurred)
The apartment still has a 1999 calendar hanging, and Namiko’s clothes remain draped over a chair.
(The apartment where the incident occurred)
One year after the incident, 3-year-old Kohei once said, “Mom died after arguing with a strange auntie.”
(The apartment where the incident occurred)
Regrettably, even after 25 years, the killer has not been apprehended. The Aichi Prefecture Police mobilized approximately 98,000 investigators for this case, but the murderer has never been identified.
(Japanese police)
Perhaps to protect the crime scene or to preserve a piece of memory, Satoru continued renting the apartment for 25 years, spending a total of 22 million yen in rent.
(The apartment where the incident occurred)
Satoru has not given up on finding the killer:
“Those times with my wife might have been the happiest moments of my life.”
“There’s still the murderer’s DNA in the room. To keep the killer on edge, I will continue to rent this place, letting them know ‘we will never let you go.'”
Over the years, Satoru single-handedly raised Kohei, who now works at an advertising company in Tokyo at the age of 27.
(Kohei Takaha and his wife Satsuki)
Recently, Kohei married a girl named Satsuki, whom he met in high school. Satsuki’s mother once worked with Namiko at the same company, and they were quite close.
Speaking about the wedding, Kohei excitedly said, “I wonder how happy my mother would be if she were still here.”
With his son’s wedding behind him, Satoru can now breathe a little easier:
“I’ve lost so much, but this is the first time something good has happened. I’ve never been this happy before. Now I can share this good news with my wife. As long as we’re alive, good things will happen. I hope we can keep moving forward.”
On November 13, 2023, Satoru, his family, and the police returned to the commercial facilities in Nagoya to distribute flyers. Anyone providing real and effective leads could receive up to 3 million yen in reward money.
(Flyer distribution)
The 68-year-old Satoru firmly stated:
“Even though it’s been 24, 25, or 26 years since the incident, our desire to solve the case this year has never changed. We will continue to work hard to gather more clues…”
