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A 20-year-old unemployed man who has been arrested on suspicion of murder after stabbing a man in the neck at an apartment in Tokyo claimed to have been beaten daily because of his failure to pay off debts he owed to the victim, police said.
According to police, Daiki Kawakami, a resident of Katsushika Ward, is accused of fatally stabbing a man in his 20s at the victim’s apartment in Machida on Monday. He was quoted by police as saying “he had no choice but to kill the victim because he was being assaulted daily.”
The two men, who had been at the victim's apartment since Saturday, were preparing to launch a business together. Several other men were at the apartment on Monday but after they left, Kawakami reportedly stabbed the man in the neck. At 5:45 p.m., Kawakami called 110 and said he had killed an acquaintance. The victim was taken to hospital where he died about two hours later.
Kawakami was initially charged with attempted murder but the charge was upgraded to murder on Monday night.
© Japan Today
10 Comments
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taj
Good that he called the police on himself right away. That lends some credence to his claims of self-defense.
Wesley
If the beatings were daily, then police should be able to see the bruises. In any case, it's his word against the deceased.
Toshihiro
We need more information on the case. I could see a legitimate reason for him to fight back if loansharks were harassing him everyday. It's never a fun prospect to fight for your life only for the law to brand you as a criminal for doing so. I agree with Vince and Wesley, the debt collector was likely in the line of job that has this kind of work hazard. Let's just hope the perpetrator's statements hold water.
Vince Black
So the deceased hounded the man over a debt to the point of getting himself killed. Seems like he was in a business that asked for it
Disillusioned
Not necessarily. It would depend on the severity and kind of beatings. Phone books used to be a popular way to give beatings without leaving marks. However, regardless of being beaten or not, he should have gone to the police instead of taking matters into his own hands. The mind boggles as to what kind of business venture they were embarking on.
Yubaru
Where does the article refer anywhere to loan-sharks? Ah right, your assumption.
Reads more like to guys getting into a business, and one guy not being able to pay his fair share, and the other hounding him to pay the money was fronted.
Nothing about loan sharks, read the article again!
Yubaru
Am I?
I dont think so!
Goyabento
You’re assuming his story of daily beatings is true.
Goyabento
Read the article again!
What’s the issue? He’s assuming just as you are.