Japan woman admits threatening roommate, forcing her to sew her own lips shut with needle and thread

A 50-year-old woman admitted in a Japanese court to threatening her 42-year-old female roommate and forcing her to sew her own lips shut with a needle and thread. The woman, identified as Masae Sakurai, admitted to the charges during the first hearing of her trial at the Shimotsuma branch of the Mito District Court in Ibaraki prefecture, near Tokyo, on November 11, The Straits Times reported.

Sakurai was arrested on June 29. (Representational image/Unsplash)Sakurai had denied the allegations when she was arrested earlier this year in June, but admitted the charges during Wednesday’s hearing. The prosecutors said in their opening statement that the victim had skipped meals after Sakurai told her that “those who do not work shall not eat”.

However, the victim allegedly angered Sakurai by eating food without her permission, leading to the incident. According to the indictment, Sakurai intimidated her roommate and forced her to sew her own lips shut at some point between June 18 and 24.

She allegedly threatened the victim, telling her, “If you let me do it, the pain will double.” The prosecutors also presented evidence, including footage from a security camera installed at Sakurai’s home. The defence said it would not contest the charges or object to the admission of the evidence.

According to AFP, the 42-year-old woman managed to escape from the house in the city of Koga and rushed to a nearby shop, where she held up a piece of paper reading “please help me”. Sakurai had been living with the victim at the time of the alleged incident.

The injured woman reportedly told police, “The suspect became angry over a trouble and my lips were sewed.” Sakurai was initially arrested on June 29 on suspicion of sewing her roommate’s lips shut herself, an allegation she denied.

However, prosecutors decided in October not to indict her on that charge. Bhavya Sukheja is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 6 years of experience in digital journalism. She specialises in covering stories that reflect everyday human experiences, with a focus on viral videos, social media trends, and human-interest features that inform readers while sparking meaningful conversations.

She loves chasing page views and finding stories that tug at readers’ heartstrings. Before joining Hindustan Times, Bhavya worked with Republic World and NDTV, where she developed her skills in real-time reporting and digital storytelling.

Working in fast-paced newsrooms helped her build an editorial approach that prioritises accuracy, clarity, and audience engagement. Bhavya is driven by a curiosity about how people communicate and connect in the digital age.

She is particularly interested in stories that highlight cultural shifts, shared emotions, and the evolving nature of online conversations. When she is not tracking trends, Bhavya enjoys unplugging and spending time with her cat.Read More