46-Year-Old Man Kills Ex-Wife and Four Biological Children Living Together

The scene was in a residential area close to the Togoshi Ginza shopping district. What kind of trouble might have plagued this family, who were reported to have a good reputation among neighbors?

“Takanami and Goto were said to have been arguing about the division of household chores and child-rearing responsibilities. The exact reasons are unclear, but Takanami had left her job at a care facility about a year ago. Goto was working as a freelance video editor but was struggling, with little income and reaching a dead end.

They may have both been in unstable mental states. Discussions about divorce began earlier this year. The divorce was finalized on May 20, three days before the incident was discovered. Goto was scheduled to move out of the house by May 27″ (same source).

Yusuke Goto is reported to have said the following about his motive for killing Takanami:

“On the day of the incident, I was told, ‘Get out right now!’ and I lost my temper and stabbed her. I couldn’t control my anger.”

He is also said to have been involved in the killing of the three children. He reportedly made the following unforgivable statement about the murders:

“I felt sorry for the children because their mother was dead and their father was arrested. I thought it was pitiful for the children if their parents became murderers. (Setting the house on fire) was because I thought it would be better if both the children and I burned up and disappeared.”

Goto is suspected of having repeatedly stabbed the fleeing children after killing Takanami. According to reports from Jiji Press and others, an untouched dinner was left on the dining table in the living room.