Police suspect two more Tottori deaths linked to woman

TOTTORI (Kyodo) Two more men who died under mysterious circumstances in Tottori Prefecture could be linked to a woman who is already under suspicion over the deaths of three other men, investigative sources said Friday.

One of the two men was run over by a train a few years ago, while the other drowned two years ago in the Sea of Japan along the Tottori coast, the sources said. The identities of the men have not been disclosed.

Both had been acquainted with the 35-year-old woman in the city of Tottori who was arrested earlier this month over a fraud case. Investigators say the woman had debts exceeding ¥1 million with acquaintances and are looking into whether she had financial troubles with any of the five men.

On Thursday, police sources said foul play is suspected in the deaths of the three men found with sleep-inducing drugs and cold medicine ingredients in their bodies. One of the three is said to have been in financial trouble with the woman.

Hideki Maruyama, 57, was found in a river in Tottori on Oct. 7, with his trousers ripped and injuries to his face. He died of suffocation.

The police suspect the other two were also associated with the woman, who worked at a bar.

The body of trucker Kazumi Yabe, 47, was found in the sea off Tottori on April 11 after his family had reported his disappearance a week earlier.

The third man, in his 50s, died at his condo in late October shortly after falling ill, the sources said. He and the woman were neighbors and he had given her a spare key, the sources said.