Society

Man, 27, found with corpse of girlfriend in Fukushima parking lot

Dec 11 (tokyoreporter.com) - Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 27-year-old man after he was found with the corpse of his girlfriend inside a vehicle in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture, reports the Yomiuri Shimbun (Dec. 10).

On Sunday night, police took Yoshinobu Kumazawa, of no known occupation, after finding the body likely that of Natsuki Taniguchi, a 20-year-old student a vocational school, Tokyo in the back seat of a rental car in a parking lot in Iwaki.

On Monday, police accused Kumazawa of abandoning a corpse. The suspect admits to the allegations.

Taniguchi lived in a dormitory in Nerima Ward that is connected with the school. On December 6, a representative of the school telephoned the parents of Taniguchi and told them that their daughter had not attended class since November 29.

The following day, her father visited the dorm room and found blood on a bed sheet and alerted police. Security camera footage shot at the dormitory on the night of December 3 shows a man believed to be Kumazawa carrying a futon that likely covers the corpse of Taniguchi out of her unit.

Police used additional security camera footage to locate the vehicle rented by Kumazawa in Fukushima. It is believed that the suspect used the vehicle to transport the body of Taniguchi to the parking lot.

In addition to confirming the identity of the body, police are continuing the investigation on suspicion of murder. An examination of Taniguchiâ€™s body revealed undisclosed injuries. As well, a note left behind in the dormitory that is believed to have been written by Kumazawa hinted at involvement in the killing of Taniguchi.

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.