"An Insane Husband"

"KOCHI, Japan - The bodies of a 59-year-old man and his wife were found after a fire in their home Tuesday morning in an apparent murder suicide.

"Yoshimori Nakanishi and his wife Sanae, 51, were found on the second floor of the three story building with abdominal wounds inflicted by a bladed weapon. According to police, the house was locked at the time of the fire and there were no signs of forced entry. Furthermore, there was a history of domestic violence between the couple and police are investigating the case as a murder-suicide.

"Police have stated that the Kochi District Court issued a restraining order against Yoshimori in October 2008 under anti-domestic violence laws, forbidding him from approaching Sanae for six months, during which time they lived apart.

"According to the Kochi municipal health care center and police, Sanae called the mental health consulting service at the center and spoke to a nurse around 9 a.m., just before the outbreak of the fire. During the conversation the nurse heard Sanae scream `Stop, stop!` after which she could not hear Sanae's voice. Alarmed, the nurse notified another staff member of the call and they both drove to the Nakanishi home. However, the fire had already started by the time they arrived.

"Local residents have said that, after the restraining order expired in April, the couple resumed living together. Furthermore, Sanae was usually in a state of anguish over Yoshimori's violent behavior and told neighbors he was `an insane husband,` and she once appeared with a bruise over her eye. Eyewitnesses reported seeing the couple in good spirits while walking their dog just after 6 a.m. on the morning of the fire, and that Yoshimori said that, `Today is the day I go to the hospital.`"

From The Mainichi Daily News...