Society

Suspected serial killer served arrest warrant for murder

Nov 20 (Japan Today) - Police on Monday served a fresh arrest warrant on a 27-year-old man who has admitted to killing nine people before dismembering their bodies at his apartment near Tokyo.

Takahiro Shiraishi, who was first arrested on Oct. 31 on suspicion of disposing of one of the nine bodies, was served the warrant over the murder of Aiko Tamura, 23, from the Tokyo suburb of Hachioji, at his apartment in Zama, Kanagawa Prefecture, around Oct 23.

He is suspected of choking Tamura until she fell unconscious and hanging her with a rope from a height of over 2 meters. Part of her body, an ID card and what appeared to be her bag were found in his apartment, according to investigative sources.

Shiraishi admitted to the charge, as he was quoted by the police as saying, "It is true that I did it alone. After talking about personal matters, I took the chance to kill her when she was off guard."

But he declined to reveal his motive for killing her, the police added.

Shiraishi is expected to be served further arrest warrants for murder as the investigation progresses. He has confessed to killing eight women and one man, aged between 15 and 26, whose bodies were discovered inside cooling boxes in his apartment.

The body parts showed signs of damage and some portions had been reduced to bone.

The suspect has admitted to inviting the victims, who had posted suicidal wishes on Twitter, to his apartment, saying he would help them die. He has also confessed to rendering them unconscious and hanging them with a rope.

The unemployed Shiraishi said earlier theft was one motive, and also admitted that he had lured some of the women with the intent to rape them.

Analysis of his smartphone showed that Shiraishi began contacting Tamura on Sept. 20, sending a message to the victim, who had tweeted that she was looking for someone to die with.

The police suspect Shiraishi murdered Tamura rather than aiding her suicide or being commissioned to kill her as he said the victim resisted when he assaulted her.

Security cameras captured Tamura together with Shiraishi at stations in Hachioji and near the murder site on Oct 23.

Source: ANNnewsCH

Do Bears Prefer Acorns or Berries?

Bear sightings across Japan have already climbed to nearly twice the level recorded during the same period last year, prompting entry bans in mountain areas behind Kyoto’s Ninna-ji Temple and the cancellation of hiking events in Kansai, while new research suggests that the key to reducing encounters may lie in understanding what bears eat in each region.

Copper Thieves Target Japanese Shrines

Copper roofing panels were stolen from several shrines in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, including a city-designated cultural property, in the latest case amid a nationwide surge in copper thefts targeting shrines and temples across Japan, where soaring metal prices have fueled crimes that leave historic religious buildings damaged, exposed to the elements, and facing repair costs of millions of yen.

1200-Year-Old Temple on Miyajima Reduced to Ashes

Flames broke out on the morning of May 20th on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, home to one of Japan's World Heritage sites, destroying Reikado Hall near the summit of Mount Misen.

From Bento Boxes to Garbage Bags, Rising Costs Hitting Daily Life Across Japan

Uncertainty surrounding the situation in the Middle East is beginning to affect daily life in Japan, as concerns over crude oil supplies spread to restaurants, cleaning services and even household garbage disposal systems across the Kansai region.

Tochigi Robbery-Murder Suspect’s Wife Posted Dance Videos on Social Media

A 25-year-old woman arrested as a suspected ringleader in a robbery-murder case in Tochigi Prefecture once posted cheerful dance videos on social media and was remembered by those who knew her as an energetic and outgoing young woman.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Garbage Burnoff Spreads to 3 Buildings in Okayama

A fire that broke out in Kagamino, Okayama Prefecture, shortly after noon on May 20th destroyed three buildings, including a home, after flames from open burning spread to dead leaves and then to nearby structures.

Gang Members Arrested After Opening Office Near Nursery

Six people, including a senior member of a group affiliated with the Sumiyoshi-kai crime syndicate's Kohei-ikka faction, have been arrested on suspicion of opening a gang office in a prohibited area near a nursery school in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward.

Six Police Officers Injured After Man Sprays Liquid at Station

A man who visited a police station in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, in the early hours of May 21st allegedly sprayed a transparent liquid inside the building, causing six police officers to complain of eye and throat pain and be taken to hospital with minor injuries.