Overview

• Hyogo Prefectural Police on August 24 sent Masashi Tanimoto, 35, to the Kobe District Public Prosecutors Office on suspicion of murdering Megumi Katayama, 24.
• Katayama was stabbed multiple times in her apartment building elevator around 7:20 p.m. on August 20 and died of blood loss, according to police.
• Tanimoto told investigators he was unsure about intent but admitted stabbing once or twice, and he has said the victim was a complete stranger.
• Investigators traced CCTV showing the suspect tailing Katayama for at least 10 minutes, possibly up to about 50 minutes, slipping into the auto‑lock building and riding the elevator with her.
• Police say Tanimoto traveled by Shinkansen from JR Shin-Kobe toward Tokyo soon after the attack and was located near JR Okutama; he had stayed near the scene from August 17 and, per investigative sources, skipped a booked hotel night to flee.