She wrote about her “bitter and agonizing” life in her memoir.
Koreaboo
Former Japanese idol Tomita Mayu was only 20 years old when she was stabbed in the neck and chest by a violent “fan,” Iwazaki Tomohiro. Now, nearly a decade later, she is speaking out about the horrifying attack and how it has impacted her life.
In the months leading up to the attempted murder, 27-year-old Iwazaki posted numerous “obsessive” comments on Tomita’s blog and X (Twitter) account. In the first two months of 2016, he also sent books and a watch to her address. After Tomita sent back the watch in April 2016, Iwazaki wrote 400 hostile posts on her Twitter account. The idol blocked him and contacted the police, asking for protection. The police dismissed her case, saying she was not under any immediate danger.
On May 21, 2016, Iwazaki cornered Tomita in front of a concert venue in Koganei, Tokyo, prior to her performance at an event called Solid Girls Night Vol. 11. He demanded an explanation for why his gifts were returned. She did not have a clear answer, leading him to “lose control” and stab her in the chest and neck 61 times with a pocket knife. He shouted, “You should die, die, die!” multiple times while attacking her with the 8.2 cm blade.
Eye witnesses heard Tomita’s cry for help and called the police. She sustained no damage to her vital organs despite being in critical condition and regained consciousness two weeks later, waking up to 34 stab wounds all over her face, neck, back, and arms. Tomita also became partially blinded in her left eye and had trouble singing, eating, and using her fingers.
During his trial, Iwazaki claimed that he had no intention of killing Tomita. His defense team added that he only stabbed her out of frustration because she ignored his gifts. Public prosecutors sought a prison term of 17 years, but the court instead sentenced Iwazaki to 14 years and 6 months in prison.
Then you should kill me…I wasn’t actually going to kill you.
— Iwazaki Tomohiro
In 2019, Tomita took legal action against the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, her former agent, and Iwazaki for failing to provide her protection prior to the stabbing. She sought ¥76 million (approximately $483,007 USD) in damages. The case was settled in July 2025.
Now, Tomita has shared her unpublished memoir with Kyodo News, in which she describes her life after the stabbing as “bitter and agonizing,” and speaks in depth about her post-traumatic stress disorder. She also criticizes the police department that failed to protect her, claiming that they never had any intention of admitting fault.
This was my strongest impression throughout the six-year trial. The insincere responses that came back through written exchanges. The fabricated stories in court, where they swore to tell the truth, while pretending to be truthful.
— Tomita Mayu
In particular, Tomita reflects on how callously the police treated her during a cross-examination in court, during which she experienced flashbacks caused by an officer showing her a news article that featured Iwazaki’s mugshot.
It was like the perpetrator had appeared before me again, brandishing a knife. It felt like my heart was being ripped out. At that very moment, I realized the police officers didn’t understand my suffering — they weren’t even trying to comprehend it.
— Tomita Mayu
Tomita stayed up for days on end to write her memoir, hoping that it would help put a stop to stalking crimes and prevent other people from suffering like she had. PTSD has severely impacted her quality of life.
For nine years since the incident, I’ve been unable to do many things due to PTSD and its aftereffects, spending most of my time at home. I can’t sleep anymore. I can’t go out alone. I can’t ride public transportation like trains. It’s sad and frustrating.
Even now, random triggers bring back the scene of being stabbed while the perpetrator shouts, ‘Die, die!’ As May 21st, the day of the incident, approaches, I panic, feeling like the perpetrator might come to kill me again. The fear that he will be released from prison never fades.
The more I try to move forward, wanting to return to my old life, the more I see the cruel reality: I must live in the world where the incident happened. Even after the incident ends, the victimization never ends.
— Tomita Mayu
Tomita’s stabbing led to Japan revising its anti-stalking laws in December 2016 to include cyberstalking and online harassment. Even so, Tomita says stalking incidents have “continued to occur unabated.”
Over these nine years, stalking incidents have continued to occur unabated. Every time I see them in the news, I feel sadness and anger…Please think about this repeatedly, so that the promise to me does not become merely a formality.
Police, please remember the difference from being saved or not can profoundly alter someone’s entire life.
— Tomita Mayu
