Japan Woman Arrested for Sewing Housemate’s Lips Shut With Needle and Thread
A 49-year-old woman in Japan has been arrested after allegedly sewing her housemate's lips shut with a needle and thread. The victim escaped and sought help at a nearby store.
A 49-year-old woman in Japan has been arrested for allegedly sewing her housemate's lips shut with a needle and thread after an argument. The accused, identified as Masae Sakurai, was taken into custody on July 6 in Koga city on suspicion of assault. The 42-year-old victim, who had been living with Sakurai since April 2025, told police she had been too frightened to escape until the day of the incident.
Victim Escaped Wearing Mask, Sought Help at Store
According to police, the victim fled the house while Sakurai was away and walked into a nearby shop wearing a white face mask. She silently held up a handwritten note that read, "Please help me," prompting a store employee to alert authorities.
The woman later told investigators that Sakurai became angry during a dispute and allegedly stitched her lips together using a needle and thread. Japan Arrests 15-Year-Old for Using ChatGPT To Delete Over 46,000 Anime Streaming Accounts.
Police Investigating Assault
Authorities said the victim's mouth had been pierced multiple times from beneath her nose to below her lower lip, with the thread passing through the inside of her mouth, making the stitching difficult to notice from the outside.
Police did not disclose the extent of her injuries but confirmed that her life was not in danger. The victim reportedly told investigators she had remained in the house because she was too afraid to leave earlier. Kimi Onoda Viral Video: Japanese Minister Issues Apology After Being 5 Minutes Late to Meeting With PM Sanae Takaichi.
Probe Into Living Arrangements Continues
Police are investigating the relationship between the two women and have not disclosed whether Sakurai has admitted to the allegations. Authorities are also looking into reports that another person may have been living at the house.
According to acquaintances quoted by local media, Sakurai had reportedly been allowing people who had run away from home to stay at her residence and helping them find work. A former colleague said she had learned several years ago that Sakurai had been caring for girls with nowhere else to go after being contacted by their parents.
The investigation is ongoing.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 10, 2026 09:09 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
