is a Japanese

serial killer A serial killer is typically a person who murders three or more persons,A * * * * with the murders taking place over more than a month and including a significant period of time between them. While most authorities set a threshold of three ...

who was sentenced to death for the murders of three men, including her husband, and for the attempted murder of a fourth.Japan's 'Black Widow' sentenced to death for murdering a string of lovers
by

Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse (AFP) is a French international news agency headquartered in Paris, France. Founded in 1835 as Havas, it is the world's oldest news agency. AFP has regional headquarters in Nicosia, Montevideo, Hong Kong and Washington, D.C ...

, via ''

the Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...

''; published November 7, 2017; retrieved November 11, 2017 She is also suspected of being responsible for at least seven other deaths.Japan's 'Black Widow' Gets Death by Hanging for Murdering Her Lovers
by Drew Schwartz, at ''

Vice A vice is a practice, behaviour, or habit generally considered immoral, sinful, criminal, rude, taboo, depraved, degrading, deviant or perverted in the associated society. In more minor usage, vice can refer to a fault, a negative character tra ...

''; published November 7, 2017; retrieved November 11, 2017 Kakehi was arrested in 2014, after an

autopsy An autopsy (post-mortem examination, obduction, necropsy, or autopsia cadaverum) is a surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse by dissection to determine the cause, mode, and manner of death or to evaluate any di ...

on her fourth husband, Isao Kakehi,Killer Wives: 8 Most Infamous Black Widow Murderers: Chisako Kakehi
by Melissa Locker, in ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

''; published August 25, 2016; retrieved November 11, 2017 revealed traces of

cyanide poisoning Cyanide poisoning is poisoning that results from exposure to any of a number of forms of cyanide. Early symptoms include headache, dizziness, fast heart rate, shortness of breath, and vomiting. This phase may then be followed by seizures, slow h ...

.Japan woman arrested for 'poisoning husband with cyanide'
at

BBC.com BBC Online, formerly known as BBCi, is the BBC's online service. It is a large network of websites including such high-profile sites as BBC News and Sport, the on-demand video and radio services branded BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds, the childr ...

; published November 20, 2014; retrieved November 11, 2017 She initially pleaded not guilty, but during her 2017 trial, confessed, stating on the witness stand that she had no intention of hiding the guilt and wanted to kill her husband out of deep hatred;Japan’s ‘Black Widow’ given death penalty for murders
by Megan Palin, at

news.com.au news.com.au is an Australian website owned by News Corp Australia. It had 9.6 million unique readers in April 2019 and covers national and international news, lifestyle, travel, entertainment, technology, finance, and sport. Staff The organiza ...

; published November 7, 2017; retrieved November 11, 2017 two days later, she retracted this confession, claiming to not remember having said it.Japan 'Black Widow' confesses to killing husband No 4, then backtracks
at

ChannelNewsAsia CNA (stylised as cna), which is an acronym derived from its previous name, Channel NewsAsia, is a Singaporean multinational news channel owned by the country's national public broadcaster Mediacorp. It broadcasts free-to-air domestically in Sin ...

; published July 12, 2017; retrieved November 11, 2017 Her lawyers subsequently argued that she suffered from

dementia Dementia is a disorder which manifests as a set of related symptoms, which usually surfaces when the brain is damaged by injury or disease. The symptoms involve progressive impairments in memory, thinking, and behavior, which negatively affe ...

Japan’s ‘black widow’ serial killer gets death sentence
at ''

the Japan Times ''The Japan Times'' is Japan's largest and oldest English-language daily newspaper. It is published by , a subsidiary of News2u Holdings, Inc.. It is headquartered in the in Kioicho, Chiyoda, Tokyo. History ''The Japan Times'' was launched by ...

''; published November 7, 2017; retrieved November 11, 2017 and could not be convicted due to diminished responsibility. In June 2021, the Supreme Court of Japan rejected her final appeal.Black Widow: Japanese serial killer loses death sentence appeal
at

; published June 29, 2021; retrieved July 1, 2021 One of the judges explained the decision based on Chisako's "ruthless crime(s) based on a planned and strong murderous intention."

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kakehi, Chisako Living people 1947 births Mariticides Poisoners Violence against men in Asia Japanese female serial killers Japanese people convicted of murder Japanese prisoners sentenced to death People convicted of murder by Japan Prisoners sentenced to death by Japan Women sentenced to death

See also

References