Japanese Woman Arrested After Roommate's Lips Stitched Shut

Reports from Japan detail a shocking incident where a woman allegedly used a needle and thread to stitch her roommate's lips together. This horrifying act forced the 42-year-old victim to flee into the street, carrying a handwritten plea for help.

Initially, the victim was reportedly too frightened of her 49-year-old roommate, Masae Sakurai, to leave their residence in Ibaraki prefecture, located northeast of Tokyo. However, the victim seized an opportunity to escape when Sakurai was absent. She then donned a white mask to conceal the horrific injury and made her way to a nearby shop, as reported by NHK.

Due to her inability to speak, she displayed her handwritten message, which prompted a shop employee to alert the police, NHK stated. The victim later informed law enforcement, as per The Telegraph, that Sakurai “became angry over a trouble and my lips were sewed.”

Local news outlets detailed that the victim's mouth had been repeatedly pierced by a needle, with the thread passing through the skin below her nose and emerging from the lower part of her bottom lip. The stitching technique reportedly involved passing the thread through the inside of her mouth, making the string less visible.

The precise method Sakurai used to carry out the assault and the specific “trouble” that provoked her remain unclear. Nonetheless, she has been apprehended on suspicion of assault. According to Kyodo News, the two women had been cohabiting since April.

Individuals familiar with Sakurai disclosed to TV Asahi that she was known for accommodating runaways and assisting them in securing employment. A former colleague further revealed her inclination for “taking care of girls who have nowhere to go after reaching out to their parents.”