Brainwashing, blackmail, an underage lover: Osaka fortuneteller linked to suicides
Tokyo Reporter/August 16, 2025
By Kenichiro Takafuji
Osaka – Earlier this year, law enforcement arrested female fortuneteller Yoshie Hamada, 63, who calls herself “the Creator,” for allegedly instigating two of her male followers to commit suicide by drowning in Wakayama Prefecture five years ago.
The trial for Hamada has yet to begin. However, two female accomplices of hers, Sawako Terasaki, 47, and Naori Takitani 59, are currently facing allegations of aiding and abetting suicide and forgery.
During the court proceedings that began earlier this month, details of the circumstances leading up to the crime and their actions were revealed.
What has emerged thus far is a chronicle of selfish actions by Hamada that included brainwashing, extortion and her taking an underage lover — all of which culminated in the deaths of two men, reports Yomiuri TV (Aug. 11).
“Mind control”
At the Osaka District Court on August 1, Takitani appeared in a suit in the courtroom. Wearing glasses and with her hair tied up, she remained expressionless as the prosecutor read out the indictment. She generally admitted to her guilt and responded as follows:
“It was Hamada who put the [microphone] cords in the car and ordered us to ‘sink each other,'” said Takitani. “I followed Hamada’s lead, just like the two who died, and, as a result, I’m the only one who survived.”
Takitani stands accused of assisting the two men (Kohei Teramoto and Ichiro Yoneda) in their suicides. Her lawyer argued, “The defendant will not contest the charge of aiding and abetting suicide, but she acknowledges that she aided and abetted the suicide through Hamada’s mind control.”
Meanwhile, Terasaki admitted to forging a suicide note for one of the men and submitted it to the police the following August.
On August 1, 2020, the bodies of Teramoto and Yoneda were found washed up on a beach in the town of Hirokawa, Wakayama.
Hamada, a resident of Kawachinagano City, Osaka, presided over what was essentially a cult. Seemingly capable of the aforementioned mind control, she claimed to be “the Creator.”
Teramoto, a 66-year-old former president of a company, and part-time worker Yoneda, a 51-year-old resident of Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture, become followers around 2008 after seeking advice from her through her web site. They then began making donations.
Upon the discovery of their bodies, the two men’s wrists were tied together with a microphone cord. The cause of death was determined to be drowning. At the time, the Wakayama Prefectural Police treated the case as a simple suicide and determined there was foul play involved.
The case surfaced in 2024. In May, a third man, who sought fortunetelling services from Hamada, consulted with Osaka Prefectural Police, saying that she had extorted him out of tens of millions of yen.
The third man went to police after Hamada referred to Teramoto and Yoneda when she spoke to him: “Ichiro and Kohei are no more. They’re dead. So you should prepare yourself too.”
On January 28, Osaka police arrested Hamada and Takitani, who lives in Nakano Ward, Tokyo, on suspicion of blackmailing the third man. They were indicted on March 11.
“I can turn your soul into a cripple in an instant”
According to the prosecution’s opening statement read out on August 1, Hamada provided spiritual counseling for over 20 years. In addition to using “the Creator” moniker, she was also known as “Angel Gabriel.” She preached to her followers that God had descended to earth and possessed their bodies.
She would speak to followers seeking salvation for long periods of time without giving them any breaks or sleep. Under the guise of sermons, she would make them believe she was a supernatural being, saying things like, “I created you too. I can turn your soul into a cripple in an instant.”
Hamada was known to her followers by the title “Father.” She referred to some of her followers, including Terasaki, as “members of the Kingdom of God.”
At the time of the crimes, she had received large amounts of “funding” from her followers. Terasaki appears to have been managing these funds.
Prior to his death, Teramoto provided Hamada with a total of 70 million yen, including the proceeds from the sale of real estate he owned and debt accumulation. Like Yoneda, he had severed ties with his family before his demise.
Underage lover
Starting in 2008, Hamada began letting a male follower live in her Kawachinagano home as her lover. At that time, he was underage. However, he fled the home five years ago.
Hamada then told the two male followers and Takitani, “In order to return [her lover] to normal, we must die, become souls and destroy the system created by God, the Elohim.” From this point on, the four began discussing a suicide plot.
On July 31, 2020, Hamada, saddened by her lover’s departure from home, finally decided to carry out the group suicide.
“Today is the day we’re going to destroy the Elohim system,” she said. “Please prepare the microphone cords. Let’s all get in the car and go into the ocean.”
Boxes of painkillers
As they carried out the plan, Hamada foresaw the possibility that the three followers would flee in fear. So, she told them, “Let’s try to submerge each other’s heads.”
That night, the four of them — Yoneda, Teramoto, Takitani and Hamada — headed toward Kansai Airport in a car they had prepared. However, after searching for a place to jump in without finding anyone seeing, they decided to head to a beach in Wakayama. Along the way, they bought four boxes of painkillers at a drugstore and eventually arrived at a beach in the town of Yuasa.
At Hamada’s request, the four of them lined up on the beach. Yoneda, Teramoto, Takitani’s arms had the microphone cords wrapped around their arms, tying them together, but Hamada’s arms were not bound.
The four joined hands and entered the sea. As instructed, the two men tried to drown each other. However, at that point, Hamada started shouting, “Stop! Stop!”
But it was too late. Takitani took note of Hamada’s command and tried to stop the drowning, but the two men were unaware. Hamada and Takitani later carried their bodies to the beach. Hamada then allegedly instructed Takitani, “Leave them there.”
After the two men died, Hamada called Terasaki and explained the situation. “If the police call, please keep it a secret that Takitani and I were with them,” she told Terasaki.
Subsequently, when questioned by police, Terasaki replied, “I don’t know why they died.”
When the police asked Hamada to identify the body of Teramoto, she told Terasaki, “If you’re going to the police, you should write a suicide note and take it with you for future procedures.”
It was then that Terasaki forged the suicide note of Teramoto and submitted it to police. According to police interviews, the note stated that the former president had attempted suicide due to the COVID-19 recession and that he had entrusted Terasaki with handling all necessary posthumous procedures.
Furthermore, Hamada instructed Terasaki to transfer ownership of the land and building in Kawachinagano, where the deceased former president lived, to the name of her son. She said, “I don’t want it to be taken over by some shady company.”
According to property records, the ownership of the land and building in Kawachinagano was transferred to the relative of Hamada. Two years later, Terasaki assumed the presidency of Teramoto’s company.
“I have nothing to be ashamed of”
Prior to her arrest, Hamada denied any involvement in the suicides of the two men in an interview with Yomiuri TV.
“I have absolutely no recollection of this,” she said. “This is a groundless, false accusation, and I have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.”
Though a trial date has not been set for Hamada, she has cooperated with investigative authorities. Prosecutors’ evidence revealed that she responded to questions about her alleged crimes by saying things like, “I needed to die to save my lover.” She also said, “It was the Creator who spoke.”
“Your date of birth is unique”
Problems involving unscrupulous persons claiming to be “fortunetellers” are not uncommon.
According to the National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan, there are approximately 2,000 consultations per year, of which approximately 80 percent are made by women.
In some cases, what begins as a free consultation becomes a large fee. In other cases, the scammers cleverly use words to worm their way into hearts of the vulnerable.
“You have the best luck of anyone I’ve ever provided a fortune for,” one might say. Another could offer, “Your date of birth is unique, and you have a powerful guardian spirit.”
To see more documents/articles regarding this group/organization/subject click here.
