Saitama tax counselor uploaded videos showing killing of cats with blowtorch

Aug 29, 2017 | News On Japan

Aug 29, 2017 (tokyoreporter.com) - Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 52-year-old male tax counselor from Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture for allegedly killing stray cats, video footage of which was posted online, reports the Sankei Shimbun

Over a 13-month period ending in April, Makoto Oya snared three stray cats with a trap near a dilapidated house in Fukaya City, Saitama. He then killed them with boiling water and a blowtorch.

Oya, who has been accused of violating the Animal Protection Law regarding animal cruelty, partially denies the allegations. "The excrement and urine of cats stinks," the suspect was quoted by the Police Station. "Their nails are sharpened to injure. I do not recognize the extermination of harmful animals to be a violation of the law."

According to police, Ota is believed to have killed at least 13 cats since January of last year. Footage of the killings was uploaded to an anonymous video-sharing site. In May, a person seeing one of the videos online tipped off police, according to the Asahi Shimbun (Aug. 29).

Source: ANNnewsCH

Typhoon No. 25 Forecast to Impact Kanto Over Silver Week

Large Typhoon No. 25 (Duzhen) was moving north near Minamitorishima at 10 p.m. on September 17, as the Ogasawara Islands began entering its strong-wind zone, with high waves, strong winds and heavy rain expected before the storm turns sharply east and potentially affects southern Kanto early on September 21.

Bear Sighting Raises Alarm at Popular Tokyo Hiking Spot

A black bear has been spotted near one of the most popular hiking trails on Mount Takao in western Tokyo, prompting authorities to urge visitors to take precautions ahead of the five-day Silver Week holiday and the approaching autumn foliage season.

Starbucks Considers Selling Majority Stake in Japan Business

Starbucks is considering selling a majority stake in its Japanese business, potentially valued at as much as $3 billion, or about 470 billion yen, as the U.S. coffee chain seeks to concentrate management resources on its struggling North American operations.

Halloween Jumbo Lottery Goes on Sale With 400 Million Yen Top Prize

Japan's Halloween Jumbo Lottery went on sale nationwide on September 16, offering a combined top payout of 400 million yen for the first prize and its adjacent-number prizes.

Shinkansen Introduces New Luxury Private Compartment

A new top-tier "Supreme Class" offering fully private compartments above the level of Green Car service will debut on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen on October 1, with passengers able to experience the new seating at a demonstration booth at Shin-Osaka Station.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Scam Base Targeting Japanese Run From Lavish Bangkok Mansion

A luxury mansion in Bangkok described as resembling a palace was being used as a base for a specialized fraud operation targeting Japanese people, with Thai authorities detaining 14 people, including four Japanese men.

Copper Thieves Target Remote Nagano Shrine

Copper roofing has been stripped from Shinano-no-miya Shrine in Oshika Village, Nagano Prefecture, leaving the wooden structure exposed in the latest of a series of similar thefts reported at shrines across the prefecture.

Influencer Yamatorino Arrested Over Cocaine Possession

A popular Tokyo nightclub hostess and influencer known as Yamatorino, who says she generated more than 200 million yen in sales during a single month, has been arrested on suspicion of possessing cocaine with her boyfriend at their home in Roppongi.

Tear Gas Prank Leaves 24 Students Injured

A second-year high school student was arrested at the scene after allegedly releasing tear gas spray inside a classroom at Osaka University of Commerce Sakai High School on September 16, leaving 24 students complaining of coughing, throat pain and other symptoms.

Police Arrest 'Tokuryu' Mastermind in Kyoto Criminal Network

Police have arrested a 26-year-old man suspected of acting as a top-level planner in an anonymous, fluid criminal group known as a "Tokuryu," with investigators believing he was involved in a series of theft-related crimes in Kyoto and other areas between December 2025 and March 2026.

Police Injured in Toy Poodle Trouble at Chubu Airport

A 37-year-old man was arrested at Chubu Centrair International Airport after allegedly injuring a police officer who warned him about walking two toy poodles without leashes inside the airport complex.

Japan's Population Aged 100 or Older Tops 100,000 for First Time

The number of people aged 100 or older in Japan has exceeded 100,000 for the first time, reaching a record 107,677 as of September 1, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

Former Boyfriend Admits Killing Pregnant Mito Nail Artist

A 29-year-old man accused of killing his pregnant former girlfriend, a nail artist in Mito, Ibaraki Prefecture, admitted the charges at his first trial on September 14, with prosecutors saying he used tracking tags to locate the woman after deciding he wanted to kill her and "reset" his life to before their relationship.

< 2 3 4 5 >