Society

Manhunt continues for fugitive a week after escape

Aug 20 (NHK) - Police in Osaka Prefecture, western Japan, are deploying 3,000 officers to find a suspect who has been on the run for a week.

Junya Hida escaped from the Tondabayashi police station on August 12th by kicking loose an acrylic partition in an interview room. Hida had been indicted for robbery and had also been arrested on suspicion of attempted sexual assault.

Investigators believe the 30-year-old stole a motorcycle soon after his escape and used it to snatch women's bags to obtain cash.

They also found that before his arrest, Hida had lived in rented garages where he brought in a bed and home appliances.

One of the garages is near the site where the motorcycle was stolen.

They say the fugitive may be hiding in someone's garage or an unoccupied house.

Police on Sunday released 8 sketches of what Hida may look like when he wears a cap, glasses and a surgical mask.

People in Osaka are calling on police to capture the fugitive quickly.

A woman says she wants police to find the suspect soon because she is worried that her elementary school child could become the victim of a crime.

A man criticized the police, saying their security measures were lax and they responded too slowly when Hida escaped.

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.