THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
March 25, 2023 at 17:08 JST
Kazuki Miyamoto is transferred to the Osaka District Public Prosecutors Office on March 4. (Takuya Tanabe)
OSAKA--Thallium was detected in the comatose aunt of a man detained on suspicion of using the highly toxic substance to kill a female acquaintance, police said.
Just 1 gram of thallium is enough to kill an adult, according to the health ministry.
The aunt was rushed to a Kyoto hospital in July 2020, but has not regained consciousness. A test of blood samples taken when she was first hospitalized turned up traces of thallium.
The Osaka District Public Prosecutors Office indicted Kazuki Miyamoto, 37, on March 24 for the murder of Hinako Hamano, a 21-year-old student at Ritsumeikan University in Kyoto, last October. Miyamoto has refused to answer questions since his arrest in early March, according to investigative sources.
During the course of their investigation, police became aware that Miyamoto’s aunt was still unconscious and requested a test on a blood sample taken from her when she was first hospitalized. Traces of thallium were evident.
As the aunt had no serious pre-existing medical issues, police are focusing on a link between the thallium and the abrupt change in her health.
According to the indictment, Miyamoto is suspected of administering thallium to Hamano on around Oct. 12, 2022, when he visited her Kyoto apartment.
Prior to his arrest, Miyamoto told police he had been drinking with Hamano when she suddenly developed a coughing fit. She died on Oct. 15.
A test of her vomit and urine found toxic levels of thallium.
Osaka prefectural police analyzed Miyamoto’s smartphone and found several internet searches for thallium from before the time Hamano was taken to hospital, investigative sources said.
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