Japanese doctor and daughter arrested on suspicion of decapitating man with blade in brothel hotel

25 July 2023, 14:05 | Updated: 25 July 2023, 14:07

A Japanese doctor and daughter duo have been arrested on suspicion of decapitating a man and then dumping his headless body in a bathtub of a brothel hotel.

Runa Tamura, 29, and her medic father Osamu, 59, from northern Japanese city Sapporo, are being held in custody as police investigate several potential charges - including murder and abandonment of a body.

Provincial police arrested the pair after discovering CCTV footage which they believe shows Runa and Hitoshi Ura, 62, entering the hotel in the city's red-light district on July 1.

Authorities also claim that Runa and her father killed the Eniwa native victim after conspiring to behead his with a blade at the Chuo Ward hotel in Sapporo.

The body was discovered by a hotel employee at 3pm on July 2 - with police confirming that they have not yet recovered all of the slain man's belongings, including his mobile phone.

Runa was reported to have been seen leaving the hotel three hours after the person police believe to be her entered - wearing a different outfit and carrying a suitcase.

Runa's mother has also been detained in connection with the case - after Hiroko Tamura, 60, allegedly conspired to transport the man's remains.

Forensic sheets have been seen at the Tamura's house as officers investigate the murder.