'Hammer Man' Refuses Interrogation

May 04, 2026 | News On Japan

TOKYO - A 44-year-old man arrested on suspicion of attacking a teenage boy with a hammer on a street in Fussa, Tokyo, is refusing to cooperate with investigators, even as authorities say a 30-centimeter hammer believed to be the weapon was recovered from his residence with what appear to be bloodstains.

Teruyuki Takabayashi, 44, allegedly attacked a teenage boy with a hammer on a street in Fussa on April 29, then barricaded himself inside his home before spraying what appeared to be pesticide at police officers and fleeing the scene, after which he remained at large for about 56 hours before being taken into custody in Chiba Prefecture.

Investigative sources said a hammer believed to have been used in the attack, measuring around 30 centimeters in length, was seized from his home and appeared to have bloodstains on it.

Takabayashi initially told investigators that he had no intention of killing, but has refused to respond to questioning since May 2, and also declined to be transferred to prosecutors on May 3 as scheduled.

Source: FNN

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