<figure id="attachment_417310" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-417310" style="width: 1024px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="87648629"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/03/086bd546c3e54df3f5c47f0bf19c943c.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-417310" class="wp-caption-text">Saitama District Court where the trial took place</figcaption></figure>
<h2> The husband told the court&#8230;</h2>
<p> In the first part of the article, &#8220;A Housewife in Her 50s Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Killing Her Mother-in-law and Dumping Her Body Under the Floor,&#8221; we discussed the circumstances that were revealed at the trial of Michiko Watanabe, 55, who was accused of murdering her mother-in-law and dumping her body under the floor.</p>
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<p> Read the first part of the article, <a href="https://friday.kodansha.co.jp/article/417263">&#8220;[A Housewife in her 50s Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Murdering Her Mother-in-law and Dumping Her Body Under the Floor&#8230;] &#8220;Special Circumstances&#8221; that brought tears to the eyes of a housewife in her 50s who was sentenced to seven years in prison at her trial.</a></p>
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<p><span class="strongInContent"> The defendant is sentenced to seven years in prison.</span></p>
<p> At the trial of Michiko Watanabe, 55, who is accused of murder and abandoning the body of her mother-in-law, who lived with her, held at the Saitama District Court from January 29, 2013, Judge Kenichi Emi sentenced the defendant to seven years in prison at the sentencing hearing held on February 12, 2013. The defendant, Michiko Watanabe, 55, was sentenced to seven years in prison.</p>
<p> In her closing argument on February 4, about a week before the verdict, the prosecutor had pointed out that the defendant <span class="strongInContent">committed &#8220;a malicious act with a strong intent to kill,</span> &#8221; that <span class="strongInContent">&#8220;the body of the victim (mother-in-law) was left on the ground for about six days without being properly mourned</span>,&#8221; and that <span class="strongInContent">she &#8220;engaged in various acts of concealment and her attitude after the victim&#8217;s murder was also malicious</span>.</p>
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<p> Although there were some scenes showing a certain understanding of the harsh situation in which Watanabe was placed, <span class="strongInContent">&#8220;The defendant is an adult woman who can choose to live an independent life. Although there were ways to avoid the worst-case scenario of murdering the victim, such as divorcing her husband and leaving the Watanabe family or living separately from the victim, her shortsightedness that led her to murder the victim deserves strong condemnation</span>,&#8221; and she was sentenced to 10 years in prison.</p>
<p> On the other hand, the defense counsel pointed out that Watanabe had no place or means to avoid violence from her mother-in-law, and requested a suspended sentence, saying, <span class="strongInContent">&#8220;There was no way to escape from her violence other than to kill her</span>.</p>
<p> Mr. A, Watanabe&#8217;s husband, who was called as a witness, responded to the prosecutor&#8217;s question, <span class="strongInContent">&#8220;Do you seek punishment?</span> Mr. A, Watanabe&#8217;s husband, who was called as a witness, answered the prosecutor&#8217;s question, &#8220;Do you want to be punished?</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> I don&#8217;t think it is right that there is no punishment. I feel sorry for him if he is given a heavy sentence because we were together for many years, but I also feel sorry if he is given a light sentence so that he can come out immediately.</span></p>
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<div data-friday-nextpage-lead=" There is no sign of hesitation."></div>
<h2>The presiding judge opined that</h2>
<figure id="attachment_417311" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-417311" style="width: 1695px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="7236ff3f"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/03/44421f2d6a2ad35593033bb93b1d6864-1.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-417311" class="wp-caption-text"> Defendant Watanabe, who was depressed when the case was sent to the prosecutor&#8217;s office</figcaption></figure>
<p> Sentencing the defendant to seven years in prison, Judge Emi first touched on the circumstances in which Watanabe was placed, <span class="strongInContent">asking, &#8220;To what extent should we take into consideration the circumstances and motives that led the defendant to commit this crime?</span></p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> &#8220;Where the defendant was unable to disobey the victim&#8217;s instructions, he was forced over a period of several years to make false statements to his own mother containing details of his mismanagement, to request money transfers, and to hand over all the large amounts of cash he had received.&#8221; From around March 2011, the defendant continued to be subjected to particularly unreasonable demands for cash, and his despair at the prospect of an end to the victim&#8217;s demands for money is understandable. She woke up at 5:00 a.m. to take care of her cat, made lunches for her husband and sister-in-law, and did housework such as cleaning the house and doing laundry almost by herself.</span></p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> On the walls in the house, there were many detailed instructions written by the victim on how to perform each household chore, as well as numerous written statements reflecting on the inadequacies of the defendant&#8217;s household chores. It is admitted that the victim was in a position of being treated more lightly than other family members and cats in the household, and it is true that these unreasonable circumstances existed. However, in this regard, the defendant has expressed in this court that he did not view such household chores as routine and unpleasant, and that they were not the motivation for this case.&#8221;</span></p>
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<p> He also stated that <span class="strongInContent">&#8220;</span> it <span class="strongInContent">is difficult to say that he regarded the request for money on the day in question as the start of another usual request, and that he was not immediately driven to kill the victim.</span></p>
<p> In light of the fact that Watanabe had run away from home in the past and that his mother had suggested that he return to her home when she was still alive and well, the court <span class="strongInContent">also</span> noted, <span class="strongInContent">&#8220;It is inconceivable that the defendant could not have taken steps such as leaving the house where he lived with the victims.</span></p>
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<div data-friday-nextpage-lead=" And &quot;I feel relieved.&quot;"></div>
<h2>noted that it is &#8220;similar to a domestic violence environment.&#8221;</h2>
<p> Regarding the reasons for the sentence, he stated</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"> The court said, &#8220;It is hard to say that the victim was in a situation where she was unable to resort to any other means other than murder, and she cannot escape a reasonable condemnation. Moreover, even if it was difficult for him to confide in the victim that he had murdered her because of his family environment, the fact that he dumped the body under the floor and lived for about six days no differently from before the murder shows that he did not face the seriousness of having taken a human life and that he showed no consideration for the victim.&#8221;</span></p>
<p> Finally, Judge Emi <span class="strongInContent">told</span> defendant Watanabe, <span class="strongInContent">&#8220;It&#8217;s a heavy consequence for you. Please consult with your defense attorney often,&#8221;</span> and the court was adjourned.</p>
<p> Indeed, when asked <span class="strongInContent">by</span> the judge, <span class="strongInContent">&#8220;Have you ever thought about anything other than money that you want to get out of here?</span> Watanabe <span class="strongInContent">answered, &#8220;Housework is routine and habitual, and I don&#8217;t mind it that much.</span> On the other hand, however, the doctor who conducted a psychiatric evaluation of Watanabe pointed out that her <span class="strongInContent">symptoms were similar to those seen when she was in a domestic violence environment</span>.</p>
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<p> In addition, his own mother suggested that he &#8220;come back to his parents&#8217; house&#8221; when his son, now over 20 years old, was about to enter elementary school, and Watanabe was only aware that <span class="strongInContent">&#8220;I think there was talk about that a long time ago.</span></p>
<p> In his final statement, Watanabe apologized, <span class="strongInContent">saying, &#8220;Mother-in-law, I am sorry for causing you pain and suffering.</span> During the trial, she sometimes choked up when her emotions got the better of her and sometimes shed tears, but after the verdict was handed down, Watanabe&#8217;s expression did not change.</p>
<p> When asked by the defense attorney, <span class="strongInContent">&#8220;How did you feel when you found out your mother-in-law had died?</span> Watanabe <span class="strongInContent">answered, &#8220;Half a feeling of helplessness and half a feeling of relief that I would not be told about the money.</span></p>
<p> About a month after the judgment, Watanabe decided to appeal to the high court. How will her relationship with her mother-in-law be judged? All eyes will be on him.</p>
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 Nakahira Ryo

 Shinji Hasuo

 Michiko Watanabe, 55, was accused of murdering her mother-in-law and dumping her body under the floor. She has decided to appeal to the High Court.

[Concealing the body and living unchanged&#8230;] &#8220;Absolute obedience&#8221; that drove a housewife in her 50s to murder her mother-in-law and dump her body under the floor.

[Concealing the body and living unchanged…] “Absolute obedience” that drove a housewife in her 50s to murder her mother-in-law and dump her body under the floor.

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