YOKOHAMA, Japan – A 27-year-old man, Hideyuki Shirai, was arrested on Saturday after the body of his former girlfriend, Asahi Okazaki, was discovered hidden in his house in Kawasaki. The body had been abandoned in a bag under the floor of Shirai’s home.
Okazaki, a 20-year-old part-time worker from Kawasaki, had been missing since December 20, 2024. According to Kanagawa Prefectural Police, Shirai admitted to his involvement in the incident and confirmed that Okazaki had been his ex-girlfriend. The police suspect that Shirai may know more about the circumstances surrounding her death.
The body was found on Wednesday during a search of Shirai’s house, where authorities were investigating his potential violation of the stalking regulation law. Investigators discovered that part of Okazaki’s body had been skeletonized, and an autopsy revealed signs of burns, suggesting that she had been dead for over a month before her body was discovered.
Okazaki had been dealing with issues of harassment and stalking by Shirai, which she had reported to both her family and the police. Her father had filed a missing persons report on December 23, three days after her disappearance. Prior to this, Okazaki had expressed concerns about Shirai’s behavior, leading her to seek refuge at her grandmother’s house.
According to reports from Okazaki’s family, the police had failed to act decisively on her complaints. On December 22, 2024, a window was broken at her grandmother’s house, but the police did not investigate the scene thoroughly. Okazaki’s father alleged that officers did not take photographs or fingerprints and left without pursuing any further action.
The victim’s father has since lodged a formal protest against the Kanagawa police department for what he perceives as their insufficient investigation into his daughter’s case. On Saturday, he and other family members gathered at the police station in Kawasaki to express their frustration.
Despite the family’s concerns, police continued to question Shirai on a voluntary basis and visited his home several times, but they were unable to search the area beneath the floor where the body was found. According to Shirai’s relatives, they denied officers access to that part of the house, citing that they were in the middle of a meal at the time.
In response to the criticism, an official at the Kanagawa police department acknowledged the severity of the situation and promised to investigate any shortcomings in their handling of the case.
Authorities have now begun a full investigation into the cause of Okazaki’s death, and further questioning of Shirai is expected. However, the case has sparked concern over how stalking complaints are handled by law enforcement in Japan, especially when victims’ pleas for help are not acted upon in a timely manner.
