Crime
Couple in their 80s found dead in apparent murder-suicide in Osaka Prefecture
An 83-year-old man and his 83-year-old wife have been found dead in Suita, Osaka Prefecture, in what police believe was a murder-suicide. According to police, a passerby called 119 at around 12:10 a.m. Thursday and said an elderly man was lying on the ground in front of an apartment building,… Read
Teacher to plead guilty over drowning deaths of Japanese teens in Australia
A Japanese teacher is expected to plead guilty to failing his duty of care after the drowning deaths of two Japanese schoolboys on a popular tourist island in Australia's east in 2019, the Australian Broadcasting Corp on Thursday cited the man's lawyers as saying. The 16-year-old boys from Kanagawa University… Read
24-year-old woman arrested over attempted murder of boyfriend in Sapporo
Police in Sapporo, Hokkaido, said Thursday they have arrested a 24-year-old unemployed woman on suspicion of attempted murder after she stabbed her boyfriend in the back at his apartment. The incident occurred at around 4:20 p.m. Wednesday at the boyfriend’s apartment in Teine Ward, Hokkaido Broadcasting Corp reported. Police said… Read
Death penalty sought for man over 2019 Kyoto Animation arson-murders
The prosecution on Thursday demanded the death penalty for the man who has admitted to the 2019 arson attack on Kyoto Animation Co. that killed 36 people, while his defense sought an acquittal or lesser sentence, citing what they said was his mental incompetence. In seeking capital punishment for Shinji… Read
Man arrested for stealing ¥300,000 from temple in Ibaraki Prefecture
Ibaraki Prefectural Police have arrested a 24-year-old man from Osaka on suspicion of stealing about 300,000 yen in cash from a temple in Tsukuba City. Police said Yuya Kawaguchi, a company employee, conspired with two other men, also in their 20s, to break into Shofuku-ji Temple at around 11:40 p.m.… Read
Man suspected of driving into crowd, village office in Ibaraki
A man is suspected of driving a car into a group of people during an event on Wednesday, injuring three, and soon after crashing another car into a nearby village office in eastern Japan, local authorities said. The car hit the three individuals in their 20s to 40s at the… Read
Man arrested for beating girlfriend’s son, rupturing his eardrum
Police in Masuda, Shimane Prefecture, have arrested a 37-year-old man on suspicion of assaulting his girlfriend’s elementary school son, rupturing his eardrum. Police said Tetsuomi Toyoda, a construction worker who was arrested on Monday, has admitted to assaulting the boy, local media reported. According to police, Toyoda allegedly punched and kicked… Read
Man arrested for causing friend of 30 years to drown
Police in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, have arrested a 53-year-old unemployed man on suspicion of causing his friend of 30 years to drown in Lake Hamana. According to police, Michio Hashimoto is accused of causing Takeshi Yoneyama, 52, to drown, by driving his car into the lake at around 8:30 p.m.… Read
Tokyo Olympics sullied by bid-rigging, bribery trials more than 2 years after Games
The bid-rigging trial around the Tokyo Olympics played out Tuesday in a Japanese courtroom — more than two years after the Games closed — with advertising giant Dentsu and five other companies facing criminal charges. Seven individuals are also facing charges from Tokyo district prosecutors in the cases, including Koji… Read
Taxi driver arrested for running over pigeon
A Tokyo taxi driver was arrested for deliberately driving into a flock of pigeons and killing one, reportedly because he was angry that the birds were on the road, police said Tuesday. Atsushi Ozawa, 50, "used his car to kill a common pigeon, which is not a game animal", in… Read
