Man nabbed at Imperial Palace after scaling wall from moat

May 26, 2020 | News On Japan

May 26, 2020 (tokyoreporter.com) - Tokyo Metropolitan Police arrested a man after allegedly trespassed onto the grounds of the Imperial Palace on Monday, reports Jiji Press (May 25).

At around 10:20 a.m., the man, believed to be around the age of 40, swam across the moat near the Sakurada Gate.

He then scaled a climbed a tree-lined embankment and scaled a stone wall before entering the grounds.

Imperial Guards apprehended the man at the scene on suspicion of trespassing, police said.

According to police, His Majesty the Emperor was present at the palace that morning for rice planting. Police are now questioning the man in seeking a motive for the crime.

In 2008, police apprehended a male British national at the palace after he swam while fully nude in the moat.

In that case, the pursuit by police took 90 minutes. During that time, the British national scaled walls, swam in the moat and wielded a plastic pole as he fled from officers.

Source: ANNnewsCH

Typhoon No. 30 Threatens Okinawa With Violent Winds

Typhoon No. 30 remained extremely powerful at 6 a.m. on October 22 and is expected to turn northwest toward Okinawa's Sakishima Islands, bringing violent winds and torrential rain, while a weather front combined with the typhoon could deliver up to 300 millimeters of rainfall across western and eastern Japan through the weekend.

Cyberattacks Hit Japanese Police and Businesses

A growing wave of cyberattacks across Japan has raised concerns over the possible use of Chinese-developed artificial intelligence in hacking operations, with personal information belonging to tens of thousands of police employees potentially exposed and major companies forced to suspend online services, while cybersecurity experts warn that slow decision-making within Japanese organizations is allowing damage to spread.

H3 Rocket Successfully Launches Mars Moon Probe

Japan's H3 rocket successfully launched the Martian Moons eXploration (MMX) spacecraft from the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture on the morning of October 20th, placing the probe into its planned orbit in the first stage of a mission to collect samples from one of Mars' moons and return them to Earth.

Japan Introduces Personalized Motorcycle License Plates

Motorcycle owners across Japan can now choose their preferred license plate numbers under a new system introduced by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism on October 19th, with popular numbers allocated by lottery and applications costing between 2,500 and 3,000 yen.

Nearly 30% of Large Japanese Companies Report Data Leaks

Nearly one in three large companies in Japan have experienced a data leak or a suspected breach, according to a survey released by Teikoku Databank on October 19th, highlighting growing concerns over corporate information security as unauthorized access incidents continue to affect businesses across the country.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Copper Thefts Spreads Across Japan

A wave of copper thefts has struck public facilities across Japan, with thieves stripping metal from bridges, park shelters and shrines, including a park known as a popular anime pilgrimage site, while police in Nagano Prefecture have made arrests following a series of similar incidents.

Footage Released of New Year's Day Motorcycle Rampage in Kochi

Police in Kochi Prefecture have released footage of a group of teenagers riding motorcycles recklessly through Kochi City on January 1st, 2026, in a New Year's Day incident known as a "first sunrise motorcycle rampage," with 18 people aged between 15 and 19 arrested or referred to prosecutors for suspected violations of the Road Traffic Act.

Japan's Former Empress Turns 92 as Family Gathers to Celebrate

Empress Emerita Michiko celebrated her 92nd birthday on October 20th, receiving birthday greetings from Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako and other members of Japan's imperial family at her residence in Tokyo, as concerns grow over her declining physical strength and signs of fatigue.

Deputy Mayor Fatally Crushed by 3-Ton Festival Float

The deputy mayor of Saijo City in Ehime Prefecture died after being crushed beneath a festival float weighing approximately 3 tons while participating in a traditional autumn festival on October 17.

Princess Aiko Smiles at Detective Conan

Princess Aiko, the only daughter of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, arrived in Tottori Prefecture on October 19 for her first visit to the region, where she is scheduled to attend a national disaster prevention conference and a symposium on disaster preparedness.

Gunma Police Rearrest Man in Murder of Mother-in-Law

Police in Gunma Prefecture rearrested a 30-year-old man on October 18 on suspicion of murdering his former mother-in-law at her home in Ota City last month, following an attack that also left the woman's eldest son injured.

Woman Killed After Deer Strike on Shin-Tomei Expressway

A 22-year-old woman was killed late on October 17 after a truck rear-ended a car that had stopped following a collision with a deer on the Shin-Tomei Expressway in Shinshiro, Aichi Prefecture.

Former Priest Arrested Over Unauthorized Sale of Historic Kyoto Temple Property

Three people, including a former chief priest, have been arrested over the alleged takeover of a historic Buddhist temple in central Kyoto, with investigators suspecting they sold temple-owned land and buildings without authorization for approximately 226 million yen, leaving the 300-year-old institution with almost none of its property beyond its main hall and grounds.

< 2 3 4 5 >