Police in Kazuno, Akita Prefecture, said Monday they have arrested a 55-year-old part-time worker on suspicion of killing and robbing a taxi driver on Saturday night.
According to police, the suspect, Hotoshi Azumaya, called for a taxi to pick him up at the parking lot of Michi no Eki (roadside station) in Kazuno at about 9 p.m. on Saturday, Fuji TV reported.
Azumaya is suspected of getting into the taxi with the purpose of robbing the driver, Yoshitsugu Tanaka, 66, as the area was usually deserted at that time of night. Police said that video footage from the camera mounted inside the taxi showed a man in back, wearing a face mask, demanding money and then struggling with Tanaka.
Tanaka's body was found a few meters from his taxi with knife wounds to his stomach and head injuries. An autopsy revealed that Tanaka's head had been crushed.
Police believe that Azumaya prepared a getaway car for himself and drove over Tanaka's head as he fled the scene.
Azumaya works part-time at a nearby hotel and was at work until about 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, police said.
© Japan Today
10 Comments
Login to comment
SenseNotSoCommon
What a nasty piece of work, and for a few thousand yen?
Disillusioned
Taxi drivers are becoming very common targets in Japan. It's time to start thinking about security for them
kiwiboy
Terrible! While he shouldn't be robbing anyone in the first place, why would he need to kill him!? Even if he stabbed him 'in the heat of the struggle', later running over his head!?! What a cold-blooded killer he proved himself to be. Lock him up for a LONG time.
nath
With hundreds of thousands of taxi rides in Japan every day, if not millions, 'common' is not really accurate.
Star-viking
We don't get such heinous crimes like these in Akita. I agree with Kiwiboy - lock him up and throw away the key!
descendent
You don't? Did you read the byline of this article? Or the first sentence? Or even the headline, for that matter?
Monozuki
Now it's high time for taxi companies in Japan to further tighten up anti-crime measures.
Michael Werker
Ive been to that place many times. Why are vending machines powered 24/7 but lights in a place like this are off at night?
I hope they give look him up for a long time!
Star-viking
descendent
It was meant to reflect that crimes like these are rarely seen in Akita.
Barrel Organ
Form reading comments on other stories I'm surprised no- one's blamed the taxi driver yet. Anyway, poor guy, R.I.P.