Takarazuka familicide

Lore & Background

On 4 June 2020, Hideaki Nozu began his attack at around 5:00 am by shooting his 75-year-old grandmother Yoshimi in the back of the head, killing her instantly. He dragged her body upstairs and cleaned the blood. At 6:00 am, he shot his 22-year-old brother Hideyuki in the side of the head while the brother was in the bathroom, then returned to his room. At 8:30 am, Nozu returned to the bathroom and, finding his brother still alive, shot him again. He then called his 47-year-old mother Mayumi and shot her in the side of the head as she approached, killing her instantly. At around 9:10 am, his 49-year-old aunt arrived; Nozu shot her in the neck at 10:10 am. She ran outside screaming for help. Nozu decided against killing her because she was wearing a bicycle helmet that would prevent further fatal shots. Police arrived around 10:15 am and arrested Nozu at the scene; he declared he 'intended to kill my family'. Five bolts were shot in total from a crossbow just over 50 centimeters in length. All fatal victims were shot in the head at close range; the aunt survived the neck wound reportedly because of her bicycle helmet.

Reader's Guide

The Takarazuka familicide had significant legal and regulatory consequences in Japan. At the time of the attack, crossbows were relatively unregulated and could be purchased by anyone over 18. In March 2022, crossbows became illegal to possess without a required license, a change directly attributed to this incident. The perpetrator, Hideaki Nozu, had been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder in elementary school and reportedly had suicidal thoughts from junior high school, but resented his mother, believing she would not care if he died. He planned the attack for two to three years, initially considering combat knives but switching to crossbows to avoid gore. He bought two crossbows and 16 bolts, hiding them in his room. In the months before the attack, he became a hikikomori and was expelled from university for constant absence, though he was not yet informed. Nozu had previously brought the crossbow to his aunt's house in a triangular bag, saying 'this will be important from now on.' At trial, which began in September 2025 after a three-year delay due to his mental health, his defense argued diminished mental state from autism. Prosecutors sought the death penalty, which Nozu himself wished for, having learned in university that murder of three people often led to execution. On 31 October 2025, Judge Chiwaki Matsuda sentenced him to life imprisonment, citing his neurological condition as a key diminishing factor and noting the crime was 'confined within the family.'

Did You Know?

• Nozu shot his grandmother at 5:00 am, then dragged her body upstairs and wiped down the blood before continuing the attack.
• His aunt survived being shot in the neck because she was wearing a bicycle helmet at the time.
• Nozu originally planned to use combat knives but switched to crossbows to avoid the gore of stabbing.
• He was sentenced to life imprisonment on 31 October 2025, despite both prosecutors and Nozu himself seeking the death penalty.