<figure id="attachment_449333" class="wp-caption alignnone" style="width: 825px;" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-449333"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="feacb345"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/12/202a624c4c1b9d17ad32725f8b855a78.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-449333" class="wp-caption-text">In December 2022, shortly after his arrest, defendant Saito.</figcaption></figure>
An extremely gruesome case has been scheduled for trial. On December 2, the Saitama District Court announced to multiple media outlets that the first hearing for Jun Saito (43), an unemployed man accused of murdering an American man, his wife, and their eldest daughter in their home in Hannō City, Saitama Prefecture by striking them multiple times in the head with an axe and setting fire to the house after pouring kerosene, will be held on February 16, 2026.
“The incident occurred in December 2022. From the moment of his arrest, Saito has consistently denied the crime. The prosecution conducted two psychiatric evaluations over roughly ten months starting in February 2023 to assess Saito’s mental state. The defense intends to argue that Saito lacked criminal responsibility, so his legal culpability will likely be the main issue in the trial,” said a judicial reporter.
FRIDAY Digital reported the full details of the incident immediately after it occurred. It was a previously unheard-of case in which the lives of a happy family of three were tragically taken.
<h2>Even on a Christmas Sunday</h2>
The Saitama Prefectural Police arrested Jun Saito on December 25, 2022, on suspicion of attempted murder and other charges. On that morning, just after 7 a.m., Saito reportedly broke into the home of an American resident, Mr. A, who lived nearby, and attacked Mr. A, his wife, and their eldest daughter with an axe, killing them one after another.
“Security camera footage showed a figure, believed to be Saito, calmly walking away from Mr. A’s house dressed in dark clothing. About 60 meters from the scene, at Saito’s residence, authorities found multiple blunt instruments, including axes and hammers. Saito allegedly chased and repeatedly struck Mr. A and his family in the head and neck. Mr. A’s body had multiple blunt-force injuries, and his skull was severely deformed. The cause of death was spinal cord injury. When police arrived, all three victims had already died. The house had been set on fire with kerosene. Saito refused to speak to investigators, stating, ‘I don’t want to talk,’” reported a social affairs journalist.
The incident took place in a quiet residential suburb. FRIDAY Digital reporters visited the scene immediately after the crime and heard vivid eyewitness accounts from neighbors.
“The area is usually very quiet. From early morning, we heard a man shouting ‘Stop!’—it was shocking. There were also women screaming. Someone must have called 110. Police quickly arrived, and despite it being a Christmas Sunday, the atmosphere became very tense.”
Mr. A had moved to Japan about 40 years ago. After graduating from a prestigious private university in Tokyo, he started working at a major company and later married his wife. According to neighbors, the couple had moved from central Tokyo to the neighborhood about six years before the incident. They were fluent in Japanese and friendly, often greeting people cheerfully. However, Saito and the family reportedly had prior conflicts.
<div data-friday-nextpage-lead="Repeated harassment"></div>
<h2>Testimony from a Psychiatrist Could Be Key</h2>
“In the summer of 2021, there was an incident in which the side of a luxury foreign car owned by Mr. A was gouged with an object resembling a driver. Mrs. A reportedly told those around her, ‘It cost 1 million yen to repair. I don’t understand why it was scratched,’ expressing her anxiety.
Saito was arrested on suspicion of property damage in connection with this incident. He had repeatedly harassed the A family, including throwing stones at their home, and had several prior arrests. However, in all cases, the evidence was insufficient, and he was not prosecuted,” reported the journalist.
Given Saito’s history of past conflicts and the violent nature of the December 25 incident—striking the victims multiple times with blunt instruments and setting their house on fire—there appears to be a strong grudge toward the A family. Yet the exact motive for the crime remains unclear.
Tahei Ogawa, a former Kanagawa Prefectural Police detective and crime journalist, explained the upcoming trial of Saito:
“I think there are two main points to watch in this trial. The first is the motive. The defendant has consistently denied involvement, but the key will be how much he discloses about his relationship with the victims. The prosecution’s understanding of the background of the case will also be critical.
The second is the defendant’s criminal responsibility. It is likely that the psychiatrist who conducted the earlier forensic evaluations will testify. The doctor’s testimony could be pivotal. If criminal responsibility is established, given that three family members lost their lives, a death sentence could be a possible outcome.”
The trial is scheduled for seven sessions, with the verdict expected on March 16, 2026.

 Shinji Hasuo

 The first trial in the gruesome case was set for February 16, 2014. The defendant is alleged to have beaten three members of a family living in Saitama Prefecture to death by hitting them multiple times with an axe. The defendant has consistently denied involvement in the crime since his arrest. This article introduces the whole case and the points of contention in the trial.

First Trial in February Reveals Brutal Details of Family of Three Murder Case

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