2 Women Killed in Stabbing at Hamamatsu Bar; Suspect in Custody

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:45 JST, July 6, 2025

HAMAMATSU — Two women have died after being stabbed by a man at a bar in Chuo Ward, Hamamatsu, early Sunday.

The Shizuoka prefectural police arrested Ichiro Yamashita, 41, at the scene on suspicion of trying to kill the bar’s female manager. Yamashita said he is unemployed and from Fukuroi in the prefecture, and the police are investigating his motive and other matters.

According to the police, the two victims were Tomoka Takeuchi, 27, the manager of the bar, and Rin Ito, 26, an employee.

An emergency call was made at about 1:55 a.m. on the day, stating that a man had stabbed two women with a knife. According to firefighters and others, the two women were unconscious and in a critical condition when they were taken to hospital by ambulance.

Yamashita is believed to be a regular customer of the so-called girls bar, where female employees serve drinks. He allegedly stabbed Takeuchi in the back and is quoted by police as saying, “It is correct that I stabbed her.”

According to the police, Yamashita entered the bar with Ito and then stabbed Takeuchi twice in the back. After that, he stabbed Ito several times. He carried two knives with 20-centimeter blades. He reportedly did not try to run or resist when police arrived at the scene.

There were other customers and employees in the bar at the time of the incident.

The prefectural police are investigating the relationship between the three, among other matters.

The crime scene is in a downtown area about 500 meters west of JR Hamamatsu Station.