YOKOHAMA - A 19-year-old man was arrested Thursday on suspicion of killing a high school girl who was found lying on a riverbank near Tokyo early in the morning and was later confirmed dead.
The man, a resident of Sagamihara in Kanagawa Prefecture, is believed to be a former boyfriend of the 17-year-old girl, Yura Sato, and police are investigating the circumstances surrounding her death.
According to an investigative source, Sato, who lived in the adjacent city of Zama, went out on Wednesday evening and did not return home. Her family told police when reporting her missing that "she hasn't come home since leaving the house," adding her ex-boyfriend had called her.
Local police began searching for the girl using location information from her mobile phone provided by her family.
The arrested man, who claims to be a painter, allegedly strangled Sato at around 9:50 p.m. Wednesday near JR Shimomizo Station in Sagamihara. He has admitted to the allegations, according to the police.
There were no notable external injuries on the girl's body.
Her body was found at around 2 a.m. Thursday on a secluded riverbank in Sagamihara. Access to the area was restricted by police.
A woman in her 30s in the neighborhood said, "This is usually a place where only local people visit."
