Man Gets 20 Years for Killing Ex-Girlfriend in Japan

Mito, a city located in Ibaraki Prefecture in northeast Japan, saw a tragic case come to trial on Wednesday as a court sentenced a man to 20 years in prison for the murder of his former girlfriend. The accused, Takumi Ouchi, who was 29 years old at the time of the crime, had expressed his desire to return to the life he shared with Haruka Komatsumoto before killing her.

During the trial, both prosecutors and the defense argued that Ouchi had sought to go back to the period prior to meeting Komatsumoto and reset his life by taking her life. On the night of December 31st, 2025, Ouchi carried out the heinous act at Komatsumoto's apartment in Mito. At the time of her death, Komatsumoto was five months pregnant and had recently married; she was 31 years old.

According to the indictment, Ouchi murdered Komatsumoto by repeatedly striking her head with a hammer and stabbing her neck with a knife. Komatsumoto's husband had requested a severe sentence, emphasizing that the loss of their simple joys of life was an unreasonable burden.