News On Japan

Ex-police chief not prosecuted over drunken theft of 5 rolls of toilet paper

Jun 26 (tokyoreporter.com) - SAITAMA (TR) – Prosecutors have announced the non-prosecution of the former chief of the Fukaya Police Station over the alleged theft of toilet paper last month, reports TBS News

On May 29, Takashi Tanaka, 60, allegedly stole five rolls of toilet paper — valued at around 170 yen — from a toilet inside a shopping mall near JR Konosu Station.

Earlier this month, Tanaka was handed a one-month pay cut. However, he resigned from his post the same day.

On Thursday, prosecutors with the Saitama District Public Prosecutor’s Office announced the non-prosecution of Tanaka.

“Based on the results of an examination into the severity of the crime and the circumstances afterward, prosecution was postponed,” prosecutors said.

The incident occurred while Tanaka was returning to his official residence in Konosu City after drinking at his private home and a convenience store parking lot, police said previously.

“I have a chronic illness,” Tanaka told police. “So after drinking I became worried about when I would return home and stole [the paper] for my own use.”

Investigators searched Tanaka’s residence and found 13 rolls of toilet paper from the shopping mall toilet.

POPULAR NEWS

Professor Kenjiro Kimura of Kobe University, who also serves as the CEO of Integral Geometry Science, has made a groundbreaking discovery in applied mathematics by solving an unsolved problem and inventing the world's first 'through-object visualization technology.'

The 'Myakumyaku' statue, the official character of Expo 2025, placed in front of Osaka City Hall, has been vandalized with English text saying 'Free Palestine', prompting the city to file a damage report.

Efforts to retrieve the body of a man found in a forest in Akita Prefecture, where two male police officers were attacked by a bear on Saturday, were abandoned Sunday with the possibility the bear is still lurking in the area.

Temperatures soared above 30C in northern Japan and northern Kyushu on Sunday, marking a true summer day, while weather conditions in western and eastern Japan worsened. In Tokyo, the early summer spectacle, the Asakusa Sanja Festival, reached its climax.

or as long as Shohei Ohtani plays for the Dodgers -- which will be at least for the next decade -- May 17 will be known as “Shohei Ohtani Day” in Los Angeles County. (MLB)

FOLLOW US
         

MORE Society NEWS

A 30-year-old man has been arrested in Tokai Village, Ibaraki Prefecture, for allegedly injuring his girlfriend's 3-year-old daughter by placing her inside a washing machine and turning it on.

The annual duck migration at Kyoto's Youhoji Temple has begun, with six ducklings making their way to the Kamogawa River this year.

A 26-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a 19-year-old woman was found dead with multiple stab wounds on Saturday in Hirakata, Osaka Prefecture. A blood-stained knife was discovered near the body.

An estimated 68,000 elderly people die alone in Japan each year, according to recent data. From January to March this year, about 17,000 people aged 65 and over were found deceased in their homes.

Two residents of Sapporo who died earlier this month likely succumbed to food poisoning caused by mistakenly consuming toxic autumn crocus, according to the Sapporo City Health Department. The department confirmed on May 17 that the deaths were indeed due to poisoning from this plant.

A pilot in his 80s explained that he 'forgot to lower the landing gear,' leading to a belly landing of a small propeller plane at Fukui Airport on May 15. The incident has been classified as a "serious incident" by national authorities.

A ranking of the 'most livable places' in the Tokyo metropolitan area has been announced. While the top three remained unchanged from last year, Katase-Enoshima Station made its debut at fourth place in this year's survey.

An explosion in central Kyoto on Thursday morning has left two injured and caused significant disruptions. The scene immediately after the fire was captured on video, with loud sirens blaring and the area filled with thick smoke, reducing visibility to less than 20 meters.