Tokyo police revealed Tuesday that a 56-year-old man who was allegedly murdered by four of his colleagues in a staged suicide was repeatedly coerced into writing notes that stated “Next time I fail, I’ll die.”
On the night of Dec. 3, 2023, the four suspects arrived at the residence of the victim, Osamu Takano, and assaulted him, according to police. They then allegedly forced him into a car and drove to a convenience store, where two of the suspects, 39-year-old Manabu Sasaki and 30-year-old Atsuya Iwaide, branched off from the group.
Takano was then reportedly taken to a rail crossing in Tokyo’s Itabashi Ward by one of the suspects, 34-year-old Akihito Shimahata, with 39-year-old Shunta Nozaki following behind in his own vehicle. Shortly after, Takano entered the tracks and was fatally struck by a train.
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