Hirohito Shibuya

Hirohito Shibuya, 57, was taken into custody at his three-story home in Higashi Yamato, western Tokyo.

Investigators reportedly seized several books on hypnotism while questioning the women about how they were brought to the house and why they stayed there.

The police were alerted after a woman accused Shibuya, who met women through fortunetelling, of trying to force her to join the household.

He allegedly confined the 20-year-old woman for about two hours and told her, "If you run away from here, I will shear your flesh off and mince it up," police said.

Shibuya reportedly registered his first marriage in 2000 and has repeatedly married and divorced nine other women, aged in their 20s or 30s, while living with all of them in the house.

"They liked me and decided to live with me after I chanted a spell to them," he explained.

The Japan Times Weekly: Feb. 4, 2006
(C) All rights reserved