Society

Man indicted in Saitama slayings of six has mental illness, defense-initiated psychiatric test concl

Sep 13 (Japan Times) - A Peruvian man indicted in the 2015 killings of six people in Saitama Prefecture has a mental illness, sources said Tuesday, a development that could affect whether he can be held criminally liable.

Vayron Jonathan Nakada Ludena, 32, turned out to have a mental illness according to the results of a psychiatric test conducted at the request of defense lawyers. The outcome contrasts with an evaluation conducted by prosecutors ahead of the indictment that said the man does not have a mental illness.

Nakada broke into three homes in Kumagaya, Saitama Prefecture, and killed the occupants during a spree from Sept. 14 to 16, 2015.

The victims were Minoru Tasaki, 55, and his wife, Misae, 53, Kazuyo Shiraishi, 84, and 41-year-old Miwako Kato and her two daughters, 10-year-old Misaki and 7-year-old Haruka.

Nakada was arrested on Oct. 8 in the year in connection with the Tasaki deaths, having spent over a week unconscious in a hospital after plunging from a second-floor window at Kato's home on Sept. 16.

Osaka Police End 14-Hour Siege

Police in Osaka arrested a 48-year-old man on October 22nd after a tense 14-hour standoff in which he allegedly held a woman at knifepoint inside an apartment. A special tactical unit forced entry into the residence late at night, ending the standoff without injuries.

Imperial Family Pays Tribute to War Victims

The Emperor, Empress, and their daughter Princess Aiko visited the Tokyo Metropolitan Memorial Hall in Sumida Ward on Thursday afternoon, marking their first visit to the site as Japan observes the 80th year since the end of World War II. They were greeted upon arrival by Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike and other officials.

First Snow Caps Mount Fuji, 15 Days Earlier Than Last Year

The Kofu Local Meteorological Observatory announced on October 23rd that the season’s first snow had been observed on Mount Fuji, which stands 3,776 meters tall. Around 6 a.m., an official visually confirmed that snow had clearly accumulated near the summit.

Tokyo’s Aging Expressway Reborn After Major Overhaul

After nearly a decade of construction, the newly rebuilt Haneda Line of the Metropolitan Expressway, one of Tokyo’s key arteries linking the city center with Haneda Airport, has been unveiled to the media ahead of its official switch to a new road on October 29th.

New Cabinet Takes On 'Takaichi Color'

The newly launched Takaichi Cabinet moved into full operation on October 22nd, with early personnel decisions revealing a clear conservative tone. Satsuki Katayama was appointed as finance minister and Kimi Onoda as minister in charge of foreign resident policy, underscoring what observers are calling the emergence of a distinct “Takaichi color.”

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