Unemployed Man in His 30s Kept Multiple Female Skulls at Home After Murdering a 21-Year-Old Woman

He could be imprisoned for up to 7 years

On June 16, the Saitama Prefectural Police rearrested Saito Jun, a 31-year-old unemployed man living in Saitama City, on suspicion of murder. Saito is believed to have strangled and killed MiyaMoto Kaho, a 21-year-old woman he met via social media around January 2018.

“The case came to light this May when Saito was arrested for stealing a smartphone from another woman. During the search of his home, the police discovered Miyamoto’s skull, leading to his arrest. Several other bones belonging to her were also found, and police suspect he dismembered the body at his residence. Further investigation is ongoing.

In addition to Miyamoto’s remains, Saito possessed the skulls of several other women believed to be in their 20s to 30s. All of them were reportedly displayed on shelves in his room. Regarding Miyamoto’s murder, he stated: ‘It was done with consent. I’ve had homicidal urges since I was a child. The motive was simply a desire to kill,’ and he has largely admitted to the charges. As for the other skulls, he claimed, ‘I bought them online,’ and denies involvement in those deaths,” said a national newspaper social affairs reporter.

Saito lived with his parents, who have reportedly denied any knowledge of his actions during police questioning, stating, “We had no idea.”

When Saito was transferred to prosecutors on June 18, he remained motionless in front of the gathered media, staring fixedly at a single point. However, when a FRIDAY Digital photographer raised a camera, he briefly glanced over. His eyes appeared lifeless, reflecting a sense of deep emptiness.

“Saito also told investigators, ‘Random killings carry too much risk, so I gave up on that. If the victim had suicidal tendencies, police would be less likely to trace it back to me—so it was convenient.’ He made Miyamoto write letters saying she was going off to do a live-in job and told her to remove the SIM card from her phone to avoid being tracked. This shows clear premeditation,” the same reporter added.

Since Saito continues to claim it was consensual murder, the investigation is expected to focus on whether such consent actually existed. Attorney Shuji Suzuki explains:

“In a standard murder case, the sentence typically ranges from 10 to 15 years. Since there are also suspicions of corpse abandonment, if indicted, he could face the maximum 15-year sentence.

However, in cases of consensual homicide, the penalty is much lighter—between 2 and 7 years. There are reports that the victim had previously hinted at suicidal thoughts, so investigators will likely probe that angle as well.

That said, police rearrested him specifically on murder charges, which means they believe they have sufficient evidence for a full murder indictment. Moreover, Saito issued detailed instructions to the victim—how far he directed her actions will be a critical point. If it’s determined that he forced her into death, then consensual homicide cannot apply.”

If he took a young woman’s life to satisfy his own homicidal desires, it is an act that can never be forgiven.