Authorities in Shiga, Japan, reported the arrest of a 22-year-old Syrian man, Mohamed Hamood, on suspicion of abandoning a body in a forest. The body belonged to Mayumi Kiriyama, a 64-year-old employee at an educational facility in Tarui, Gifu Prefecture, and had been discovered in early April of last year. Following an investigation into her disappearance, it has been concluded that she may have been abducted, with a collaborative examination by authorities revealing that she died from asphyxiation due to neck compression.

Kiriyama was living alone in her home and was last seen at her workplace on March 13, but did not report to work on March 17, prompting the facility director to check her residence. Upon failing to locate her, the director notified the Gifu police, leading to further investigations. The body was subsequently found in a prone position on a futon in woods in Okiyasu, Maibara City, on April 2. The investigation into her death is being treated as a homicide and abandonment of a corpse, highlighting concerns over safety and the treatment of vulnerable individuals.

This case raises critical issues regarding the abduction and treatment of women living alone, as well as the implications of crimes involving non-Japanese nationals in Japan. The investigation is ongoing, and as the authorities delve deeper into Kiriyama's background and the details surrounding her death, further developments are expected that could shed light on these broader societal concerns.