Body of 91-Year-Old Woman Found in Hanno, Saitama Woods; Vietnamese Man, 33, Suggests He Killed Her After Breaking In to Steal Food
This article organizes publicly available information into a single account. Where it describes an arrest or an ongoing investigation, that reflects only one stage of criminal procedure and does not mean guilt has been established (the presumption of innocence applies). We will update this article as new information becomes available, including the outcome of prosecution, non-prosecution, or trial. This article is not intended to unfairly disparage any individual, group, nationality, ethnicity, or belief, and aims to provide objective, fact-based information.
On the night of August 1, 2026, the body of a woman believed to be Kinuko Maruyama, 91, unemployed and reported missing, was found in wooded terrain in Hanno City, Saitama Prefecture. According to reports by the Asahi Shimbun and other outlets, the case began on the morning of July 31 of that year, when the woman's son contacted Sayama Police Station to report that his mother, who lived alone, could not be located. A day-service worker who visited her home found the unlocked residence empty, and the light passenger car normally parked there was also missing.
That evening, police found the car in Fujimi City, Saitama Prefecture. The driver, a 33-year-old Vietnamese national, abandoned the vehicle and fled onto the grounds of a nearby private residence, where he was arrested on the spot on suspicion of trespassing. Subsequent questioning revealed that he had made statements suggesting, "I broke in to steal food because I was hungry. She came home and was there, so I killed her." Police are investigating on suspicion of murder and abandonment of a body, on the theory that the man, who had entered with the intent to steal, killed the woman when she returned home.
Current status: Saitama Prefectural Police announced on August 12, 2026 that it had re-arrested the man, identified as Pham Cao Lien Cong, 33, on suspicion of abandoning a body. The body is believed to have been left in wooded terrain in the Ashiu area of Hanno City between July 29 and August 1, and the suspect has reportedly stated that he abandoned it because he "thought someone would find out if he left it there." The investigation also revealed that the suspect had been residing in Japan illegally. Police are continuing to investigate with an eye toward pursuing murder charges. This article will be updated as further details emerge.
Editorial Perspective
No decision on indictment has been made at this stage, so this article reflects information from the investigative phase. An arrest is only one step in criminal procedure and does not establish guilt (the presumption of innocence). According to National Police Agency and Ministry of Justice statistics, the number of Penal Code cases involving foreign nationals visiting Japan has risen for two consecutive years since 2023, but remains below its mid-2000s peak (related article). A single case does not necessarily reflect the broader statistical trend; further developments are worth watching.