A man who fell behind on his utility bill and had his power cut off by Tokyo Electric Power Co (TEPCO) has been arrested after he became angry and threatened the company's staff, police said Thursday.
According to a report on NTV, the man, who has been named as 41-year-old Hiroshi Kizaki from Kawasaki, had his electricity cut off this month after missing his June and July payments. He allegedly called a customer service center in Yokohama three times between 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on Oct 14 and demanded his power be turned back on. Kizaki is alleged to have said to a telephone operator, "Turn my power back on, even for just a minute, or I'll kill you."
Kizaki also referred to the crisis at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant, saying that his head hurts from all the radiation, NTV reported.
© Japan Today
29 Comments
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nath
My electric company is charging me a fortune as well. When I asked why it's so expensive they just say "because it's the best and most reliable" Reliable!? Didn't say that when you cut the power to my place in march did ya, I could generate more reliable Electricity by rubbing a couple of balloons against my genatalia.
Hategobo
Just tell TEPCO he needs power in his house to run the water pumps to keep the fuel rods in his DIY Home assembly Nuclear power station cool.
Disillusioned
I reckon this nut's head was hurting long before the meltdown.
Christina O'Neill
Staff at call centres are not involved in disconnecting supplies to customers, their job is to answer telephone enquiries. Thereatening staff if a solution to a complaint is unsatisfactory is not the way to go. I doubt the staff are paid enough to put up with abusive phone calls
smithinjapan
If people intentionally did not pay to protest TEPCO I could understand, but simply starting to complain after the fact is clearly just an excuse.
BurakuminDes
I don't necessarily condone his actions - but on the other hand, I have very little sympathy for the TEPCO staff. Even disregarding their disastrous handling of the present situation, they were an awful company before-hand. Cry me a river, TEPCO stiffs!
nath
This won't be the last incident of this sort of thing...
Johannes Weber
They were quite lenient with me when I left the country for four months after the quake and couldn't pay my bills in the meantime (since I didn't know about them). Okay, the only thing that kept consuming power was my refrigerator and the electricity bill was only one quarter or third lower than usually. What do we learn from this? That Japanese refrigerators are climate killers and that Japanese (or TEPCO) pricing doesn't encourage customers to save power.
However, I can understand everyone who is irritated by TEPCO and overreacts a bit. They should not take this guy serious. He probably has some psychological disorder (since March). Wouldn't be any surprise at all... The matter would be completely different if he showed up at a TEPCO shop and actually assaulted someone.
the_odeman
Until proper tests have been done, you cant exactly disprove what he is saying lol
kenzoz
Lmsao! This is ridiculously hilarious... dude just made my night!!!
Foxie
My new hero.
アメリ フセイン
I feel dirty paying my electricity bill every month. Tepco should be paying me.
ebisen
What a nutcase... While it's obvious his head "hurts", it's clear that Fukushima Daiichi has nothing to do with it...He belongs in an institution.
Hategobo
@Adam Brown you do it I will market the photos :)
CrazyJoe
The guy can complain about his headache, but pay the bill first. When TEPCO cuts off power for nonpayment, I heard once that they still give you enough electricity to light a 60 watt light bulb.
hatsoff
Imaginary phone call:
Angry customer: " I pay for electricity and you keep sending me radiation. I ain't gonna pay no more until you send me just the electricity. What you gonna do? "
Tepco staff: " We're gonna cut the electricity and keep sending the radiation, okay?"
Angry customer: " No, no....my head already hurts from all that radiation. Send me the electricity or I'll kill you! "
Tepco staff; " Not if the radiation kills you first. "
presto345
He did not mention that, apparently, and that is a different matter entirely.
some14some
Didn't pay bill and now will save money on foods as well (!)
Mirai Hayashi
A great way TEPCO can compensate the country is to give this guy and everyone else free electricity for a few years.
jforce
Alleged to have threatened them to turn the power on for a minute? Gee, the threat itself is alleged and unclear. I do see copycats spawning from this though. TEPCO workers beware ... this will uglier when the customers start refusing en masse to pay their bills.
CounterPunch
Well, TEPCO threatened him and all of Japan first!
oginome
So funny! :D
Vernie Jefferies
I wonder if his head hurts from the radiation or is it a hangover from drinking too much Sake. Looks like he may have consumed some liquid courage before making that call to Tepco. Funny story today.
LoveNot
He was angry obviously but how is this news???? I was threatened on street by a drunk man and nobody made news of this. TEPCO employees have some priority?
Yubaru
Hey if this happens it would be an energy saving gesture on the part of the consumers.
Seriously speaking here now, whether TEPCO is the devil reincarnate right now or not, people do have a responsibility to pay for services and utilities that they have used. The dude is an idiot.
NetNinja
I drove past a TEPCO location not too long ago. They've got security cameras everywhere now. It looks like a compound. They must be worried that people in the community might retaliate for all the trouble TEPCO has caused.
Elbuda Mexicano
Heck I am not Japanese but I truly understand this guy and well I will not be surprised when we see these Tepco guys on the tv news all the time telling us that everything is under control up in Fukushima etc..they will start getting knifed just like some of the members of Aum Shinrikyo, you can push around the Japanese people so far and sooner or later somebody is just going to go bezerk and start killing high profile Tepco employees, mark my words.
nath
Hahaha funny man. How will he charge his cell phone? The free electric in front of the local conbi?
I hope he emptied his refrigerator.