After Repeated Domestic Violence… From Abandonment to Cover-Up: The Distorted True Face of the Bar Owner in the “Miyagi 25-Year-Old Woman Abandonment Case”

“I went to Miyagi to buy alcohol.”

On October 5, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s First Investigative Division arrested Takuya Miura (36), a bar owner from Nakamura-Minami, Nerima Ward, Tokyo, on suspicion of abandoning a corpse after allegedly dumping the body of his live-in girlfriend in the mountains of Kurihara City, Miyagi Prefecture.

He is suspected of abandoning the body of his girlfriend, Maho Muroga (25), a part-time worker, in the mountains near Lake Hanayama in Kurihara City, Miyagi Prefecture, on September 28. Miura has denied the charges, stating, “I have no memory of it.”

On October 5, immediately after his arrest, Miura left the police station for a pre-detention medical examination; while looking down, he was glancing up at his surroundings.However, on the morning of October 7, when Miura reappeared before the press at the Nerima Police Station to be transferred to prosecutors, he kept his head down the entire time, making it impossible to gauge his expression.

“The case began when Ms. Muroga’s mother contacted the Metropolitan Police Department on the evening of September 30, reporting, ‘I haven’t been able to get in touch with my daughter for the past three days.’After the Metropolitan Police Department tracked suspect Miura’s movements and his car’s route, it was determined that he was heading toward Miyagi Prefecture. Following an investigation into his stops along the way, Ms. Muroga’s body was discovered on October 4 in the mountains beside a road near Lake Hanayama in Kurihara City.

The scene was in an area with no nearby residences, surrounded by mountains and trees, and with little foot traffic. The body was fully clothed, and a plastic bag had been placed over it from the shoulders to near the head. Although there were no visible external injuries at the time of discovery, a subsequent autopsy revealed that she likely died of asphyxiation caused by compression of the neck.“The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the circumstances of her death, with murder among the possibilities,” said a reporter from the crime desk of a national newspaper.

During a voluntary interview prior to his arrest, suspect Miura explained, “When I came home from work on the morning of the 28th (of September), Ms. Muroga was gone,” and “I went to Miyagi alone.” However, as the investigation progressed, several inconsistencies reportedly came to light.

“Initially, regarding his reason for going to Miyagi, he stated, ‘I drove there to buy alcohol.’ As for stopping near the site where the body was dumped, he reportedly explained, ‘I went to the lake because the scenery was beautiful, and since I was tired, I went to a hot spring.’

Based on investigations using security camera footage and other evidence, suspect Miura is suspected of visiting the area around Lake Hanayama—where the body was found—twice on the evening of September 28. He did indeed stop by a nearby hot spring facility afterward, but his stay there lasted only about 10 minutes.

“Furthermore, when he returned to his home in Tokyo around 3:00 a.m. on September 29, security camera footage reportedly showed Suspect Miura unloading a large suitcase from his car,” said a crime reporter.

Furthermore, the possibility has emerged that he may have staged a cover-up to make it appear as though Ms. Muroga was still alive.

There were a total of four reports and inquiries made to the police.

“During a voluntary interview, Suspect Miura stated that after Ms. Muroga went missing, he received a message saying, ‘I’m going back to my parents’ house,’ and it appears that a message purportedly sent by Ms. Muroga was indeed found on Suspect Miura’s smartphone. However, it is reported that Suspect Miura was in possession of Ms. Muroga’s smartphone at the time of his arrest.

Furthermore, it has been revealed that in the early morning of September 28, after Suspect Miura had departed from Tokyo for Miyagi, a message reading ‘I’m blocking you’ was sent from Ms. Muroga’s smartphone to him. He reportedly replied to that message from his own smartphone with ‘No way.’“The police are investigating this as a cover-up intended to make it appear that Ms. Muroga is still alive,” said the crime reporter mentioned earlier.

Ms. Muroga is believed to have met Suspect Miura when she visited as a customer at a bar he operated in Nakano Ward, Tokyo, and had been living with him at his home in Nerima Ward, Tokyo, since around September ’25. However, multiple testimonies reveal that there were constant disputes between them.

“Between March and June of this year, there were reportedly a total of four reports or consultations with the police from both Suspect Miura and Ms. Muroga regarding incidents such as ‘arguments’ and ‘being hit,’ and it appears the Nerima Police Station even provided verbal guidance on some occasions.

Furthermore, on July 21, Ms. Muroga’s mother contacted the police, stating, ‘My daughter says he hit her and she wants to go to the hospital.’ When officers from the Nerima Police Station responded to the call and checked on her, Ms. Muroga said, ‘He hit me in the nose two days ago,’ and she had a broken nose.In connection with this incident, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department referred Mr. Miura to the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office on September 2 on suspicion of assault. It was also reported that Ms. Muroga told a friend, “He said he would kill me and choked me.” (Crime reporter cited earlier)

However, when police officers interviewed Ms. Muroga on September 25, she reportedly explained that “we’ve made up and are still living together.”Following the incident, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department’s Personal Safety Measures Division commented, “We believe we took measures to ensure safety, such as separating the two when deemed necessary and monitoring the situation.” We spoke with crime journalist Taihei Ogawa.

“What I find noteworthy about this case is that there had been a history of repeated problems between the two, including domestic violence, and the police were aware of this. The woman suffered violence severe enough to fracture her nose, and the man has been referred to prosecutors on suspicion of assault.

What caught my attention was that the man was referred for prosecution rather than arrested. This suggests it is highly likely that the woman did not file a police report. If she had filed a report and strongly desired for the case to proceed, I believe it is highly likely the man would have been arrested at that point.”

Victims Are Unable to End the Relationship

There are many cases where repeated violence leads to tragedy because the victim cannot bring themselves to end the relationship. Experts say that if you’ve been subjected to violence even once, you should reconsider the relationship.

“It’s not uncommon for victims to be unable to end the relationship, thinking, ‘We’re still together’ or ‘He has his good points.’ During my time as a police officer, I investigated many men accused of domestic violence and frequently found that they had previously been reported by other women for the same behavior.

It is not uncommon for someone who has committed violence once to repeat the same behavior with a new partner. That is why it is crucial to consult a third party—such as the police, family members, or a lawyer—as soon as violence occurs, and to ensure your personal safety first. There is no need to continue enduring it.

“Even between spouses or romantic partners, the police now respond quite proactively to cases involving personal safety. If necessary, they can separate the two parties or connect the victim with a shelter. Their response has changed significantly from the past,” (Mr. Ogawa, cited earlier)

Ultimately, protecting yourself comes down to your own decision.

[YouTube] On “FRIDAY TV,” crime journalist Taihei Ogawa discusses this case, exploring why it could not have been prevented. He also delves into a specific characteristic commonly seen in similar incidents.