Hungary police apologize after Japanese woman allegedly killed by husband in Budapest

By Phan Anh February 17, 2025 | 10:42 pm PT

Flowers, candles and a picture are seen at a virgil for a Japanese woman found dead in her burned apartment in Budapest, Hungary, Feb. 4, 2025. Photo by AFP

Police in Hungary have issued an apology for failing to address a Japanese woman's complaints of her husband's violence, following her death.

Budapest police spokesman Kristof Gal apologized last week, stating that an internal investigation found the police response to the woman's plea for help in 2022 was insufficient. According to the South China Morning Post, five officers were disciplined for failing to address the woman's complaints.

The victim, a 43-year-old identified as Megumi, was found dead in a burned apartment on Jan. 29. Authorities initially concluded that a cigarette had accidentally caused a fire, but an autopsy later revealed signs of domestic abuse.

Friends of the victim told authorities she did not smoke. Investigators focused on her former husband, who originally reported the fire, as a possible suspect. He remains in custody.

The estranged husband reportedly went to the apartment that day to pick up their two children, aged 10 and 11. He told police he did not return afterward, but security camera footage showed him outside the apartment wearing a balaclava. Local media reports indicate he had sent death threats to Megumi in the past.

In Japan, questions have been raised about why the Japanese embassy in Budapest did not provide more assistance after Megumi reportedly sought help regarding domestic abuse.

Her lawyer told the Abema Times that Megumi visited the embassy at least twice, seeking for help to return to Japan with her children as she did not have their passports. She asked the embassy for replacements, but was told she needed consent from her husband due to shared custody. When the husband objected, she abandoned the plan.

Several readers commenting on the Yomiuri Shimbun's website criticized embassy staff for not doing enough. One comment stated, "The embassy should be the first place you can rely on in a foreign country. Embassy staff should be aware of this and reflect on their actions."

In a press conference in Tokyo last week, Japanese foreign minister Takeshi Iwaya offered condolences to the victim's family. He added that embassy officials in Budapest had advised the woman to report the alleged domestic abuse to local police.