Court approves detention of man after wife’s death in Japan

The Tainan District Court on Monday approved a request by prosecutors to detain a man surnamed Lee (李) who is suspected of involvement in his wife’s death in Japan last week.

Wang Sheng-hao (王聖豪), a senior prosecutor with the Tainan District Prosecutors’ Office, yesterday said in a video briefing that Lee is suspected of being involved in the apparent murder of his wife and attempted fraud.

Prosecutors sought Lee’s detention on Sunday, citing concerns that he could flee or destroy evidence, he said.

Tainan District Prosecutors’ Office senior prosecutor Wang Sheng-hao speaks in a video briefing yesterday.

Photo courtesy of the office via CNA

Lee’s wife, surnamed Ching (井), was found fatally stabbed at a hotel in Yamanashi Prefecture’s Fujikawaguchiko on Oct. 19, Wang said.

Japanese police arrested a suspect, a woman surnamed Yang (楊) who is also from Taiwan, for her alleged involvement in the case, he said.

On Thursday last week, Tainan prosecutors launched an investigation at the request of the Criminal Investigation Bureau’s International Affairs Division.

Prosecutors found that Lee, who traveled to Japan after his wife’s death to handle the funeral arrangements, had taken out two travel insurance policies on Ching prior to her death — one for NT$10 million (US$308,147) and another NT$20 million, Wang said.

Authorities arrested Lee when he returned to Taiwan on Saturday evening.

They searched seven locations, including his residence, on Saturday and Sunday, Wang said.

Prosecutors said they found records of contact between Lee and Yang, who Japanese authorities suspect of killing Ching, but added that the alleged coordination between the two and their respective roles in the case remain under investigation.

Japanese media last week reported that Ching was found dead on a hotel bed with extensive bleeding.

Yang, 27, was also in the room and later arrested after police found her in possession of a kitchen knife, on suspicion of contravening the country’s Firearm and Sword Possession Control Law.

The women were part of a tour group from Taiwan, the reports said, adding that hotel staff went to check on Ching after she failed to show up before the group’s outing that day.

Japanese police are continuing to investigate the relationship between the two women, with no further details released, reports said.

In Taiwan, the Ministry of Justice said that while the Tainan Prosecutors’ Office had not yet requested judicial assistance from Japan, the ministry would handle any such request in accordance with the law and maintain contact with Japanese law enforcement agencies.