Society

Ibaraki: Man poured kerosene on girlfriend before coaxing her to start fatal fire

Apr 02 (tokyoreporter.com) - Ibaraki Prefectural Police have arrested a 47-year-old man for allegedly coaxing his girlfriend to start a fatal fire during a quarrel at their residence in Koga City, reports TBS News

At around 12:50 a.m. on Sunday, Kazuhiro Hirata, a company employee, poured kerosene from a heater on the body of his Masako Tsuyama, a 46-year-old part-time employee, and the floor of the two-floor residence, located in the Nakada area.

â€œGo ahead, start the fire and die,â€ Hirata is alleged to have said in instigating Tsuyama. She then used a lighter to set the carpet on fire.

After the incident, Hirata tipped off emergency services. Personnel arriving at the residence found Tsuyama in a state of cardio pulmonary arrest in a toilet on the first floor. She was then transported in a hospital where she was confirmed dead, according to the Koga Police Station.

Hirata, who was not hurt in the incident, was later accused of instigating arson in an inhabited building. â€œ[My girlfriend] used the lighter to start the fire,â€ the suspect was quoted by police in denying that he instigated her.

Police are now investigating the circumstances that led to the incident.

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.