In a significant development in the ongoing investigation of a 1999 murder case in Nagoya, it has been reported that shoes seized from the home of the accused, 69-year-old Kumiko Yasufuku, partially match the size of bloody footprints left at the scene where 32-year-old Namiko Takaba was killed. Police disclosed that multiple shoe prints were found near the entrance of Takaba's apartment, measuring 24.0 centimeters. This revelation has spurred the Aichi Prefectural Police to publicly solicit information related to the case, hoping to connect the footwear evidence with the crime.

Additionally, police confiscated several pairs of shoes from Yasufuku's residence, most of which are 23.5 centimeters in size, but at least one pair matches the 24.0 centimeters size associated with the crime. While it remains unconfirmed whether the seized shoes were used in the murder, authorities are clear that no weapon thought to have been used in the crime has been found. The investigation continues to focus on Yasufuku, once a classmate of Takaba's husband, Satoru, who has been characterized by Yasufuku as “Namiko’s husband” during interrogations, without ever mentioning his name.

The murder of Namiko Takaba, alleged to have occurred on November 13, 1999, involved multiple stab wounds that led to exsanguination. Yasufuku initially admitted to the allegations during police questioning but later chose to remain silent. The connection of the footwear to the crime highlights the importance of forensic evidence in the resolution of long-standing cold cases, emphasizing the continued efforts of law enforcement in pursuing justice for victims of violent crimes in Japan.