Police said Wednesday that a man was arrested in Tokyo's Katsushika Ward after he allegedly threatened three TEPCO employees with a sword.
According to police, the man, who has been named as 57-year-old Masahiro Ishikawa, brandished a sword at the TEPCO employees who came to his house to request payment for overdue electricity bills on Monday afternoon, TBS reported. Ishikawa left his house and walked to the road outside his property, where he allegedly held the weapon above his head and threatened the men, who had come to collect three month's worth of unpaid bills.
During police questioning, Ishikawa was quoted by investigators as saying he was holding an umbrella. "They must have imagined the sword," he said, according to police.
© Japan Today
26 Comments
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titaniumdioxide
Hahahaha! I cannot imagine how the employees reacted to his act. If I were them I could have screamed like siren.
Onniyama
Hahahahahahaha! Hilarious. I bet they thought they were safe going in a group of three.
Frungy
... so three people imagined that an umbrella was a sword? Well, maybe next time the police should go with and see if they also suffer a similar hallucination.
Mirai Hayashi
I love this guy! Let him go! Let him go! Especially if he really was holding an umbrella.
BurakuminDes
Ha ha! Cop that, TEPCO! I don't completely agree with his means of protesting - if the allegation by the TEPCO idiots is even true - but I sure sympathise with this bloke.
Disillusioned
Um, what can you say to this? However, an umbrella is still a weapon when raised about your head, so this this loon is baked!
RealJapan
The police should have arrested the TEPCO employees for trespassing and assault. TEPCO employees are using mafia style tatics to collect fees without fear of arrest from police. Seems like TEPCO can do anything without fear of investigation or arrest.
dmhondz
why don't you just pay your bills like normal citizens do? if you don't like to, just don't use their services. there's no need for threats and violence.
nath
dmhondz.
I don't condone his action. But within the areas of the 11 power companies, your choices are limited to the local one.
I can't get power from Kepco, etc only can get it from Tepco or go without.
nath
Many of those payment collectors are hired workers(on a commission basis) and they can be rather forceful.
Myself defaulted a few times on electricity payments but you can talk to the guys/gals and even work out a later payment date(Within reasonable limits of course).
MasterBape
Um, what can you say to this? However, an umbrella is still a weapon when raised about your head, so this this loon is baked!
Come on, people raise umbrellas above their heads all the time...helps keep them dry when it rains. Or from the sun.
hatsoff
"I wanted electricity and you sent me radiation...and you expect me to PAY for it?"
AlternateUniverse
Its a tough call. I don't want to support threats of violence. But I don't want to support a company that overcharges its customers then sends in bill collectors either.
Solution: arrest them all!
mtwildman
Spot on!
whiskeysour
I want to see the phone video or picture or something ?
Did he sound like a samurai when exposing his umbrella sword ?
SUMMERTIME DRAWS CRAZY PEOPLE
Ewan Huzarmy
"For he's a brolly good fellow ! "
ikkoikki
So, just to clarify, was it a sword or an umbrella?
zoLev
No, it is a really was an umbrella, but consist of tamahagane.......
supermonk7
Would have done better with a lawsuit.
No, wait... scratch that.
Ewan Huzarmy
Actually, the shop Bulldog, sells an umbrella that has a handle like a samurai sword. Could he have had one of those ?
BoredToTears
That's pretty funny. I have an umbrella with a sword hilt for a handle. A friend got it for me for Christmas last year. But there's no way you'd confuse the umbrella sticking out of the hilt for a blade. Ha!
fds
does he own a registered sword? if not and the police don't find one on the premises, its his word and against TEPCO's and we all know how truthful and honest TEPCO is!
Ayler
I bet he shouted 'Hoorrraaa!' at least a dozen times
BoredToTears
fds - I'm guessing that he did have a sword, but it was most likely one of those cheap decoration swords. From what I've read, those things are very poorly made and the blade can come flying out if you swing it around a lot or actually hit something with it.
tamanegi
Thankyou JT! I know you couldn't make stuff like this up!