Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.
crime (Page 67)
When I was a junior high school student my music teacher used to jab a meter stick into my gut while I played Mary Had a Little Lamb on the trumpet. Good times.
Still, that guy could win teacher of the year next to a 55 year-old man who was suspended from his Shonan Ward high school in Kanagawa Prefecture for inappropriate behavior with some female students.
How inappropriate? For starters, he composed an original love ballad.
Working at a lottery counter or kiosk must be a drag. You have to watch other people win big and hand over cash everyday while probably making a less than stellar salary yourself.
So it comes as no surprise that one lotto shop employee in Sakai city succumbed to the temptation to pocket someone else’s big winning ticket for herself and telling them they lost.
Scattered across the landscape of Japan are Shinto shrines of various shapes and sizes. In many of the larger shrines you’ll find one or more especially old trees known as Goshinboku which means “sacred tree.”
Sacred trees are usually massive in size and centuries old with some reportedly over 1,000 years old. You can usually tell them from the shimenawa wrapped around their trunks. A shimenawa is an extremely thick rope which encloses something holy and wards off evil from outside.
These age-old trees are beautiful specimens of nature’s strength and longevity and add an extra level of serenity to their shrines. However, in the past month someone or some group has been killing off these sacred trees of shrines in 5 separate prefectures in Japan’s mid-west.
A US Navy sailor has been arrested by Japanese police after wandering around naked and urinating in a manga cafe near Yokohama station, Kanagawa prefecture last Friday.
The incident comes just weeks after the US Military imposed a curfew between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. after two soldiers were arrested for the alleged rape of a woman in Okinawa, causing outcry in the Japanese media.
According to reports, the sailor admits that he urinated in the cafe, but absolutely draws the line at the despicable act of stripping off in a public place…
In relatively violent-crime-free Japan, there was a shocking case this year where a woman in Zushi, Kanagawa Prefecture was stalked and murdered by an ex-boyfriend, who then killed himself. That’s tragic enough on its own, but new information has come to light that it may have been the police themselves who enabled the ex to track her down. Read More
On the morning of 2 November a man armed with a kitchen knife entered a bank in Munakata city, Fukuoka Prefecture. Upon seeing the man, the clerk asked “What can I do for you?”
“Hand over the money.” he said quietly.
Then the clerk summoned all her years of training and experience as a bank employee and dealt with the intruder the best way she knew how.
Japanese paper currency is printed with the faces of various prominent figures. However, rather than past or present leaders, like many countries do, the yen banknotes are decorated with writers and a scientist.
For example, the 10,000 yen (US$124) bill has the likeness of Fukuzawa Yukichi, a highly influential writer during Japan’s transition from the feudal system to modern government. He is also known to have never smiled in a photograph, which is why when one man attempted to spend a 1,000,000 yen (US$12,400) bill with a picture of a grinning Yukichi, the clerk’s suspicion was aroused.
A 32-year-old man in the town of Hino, Tokyo, was arrested late last week on suspicion of having entering a woman’s apartment and demanding that she hand over her underwear.
According to an FNN News report, the man crept into the premises before brandished a knife and telling the resident to surrender her panties, but was apprehended soon after.
Thanks to Hyogo Prefecture’s “Security Net” the public can easily access reports of crime occurring in their communities as it is reported. Earlier it had alerted local residents to a suspicious person resembling and acting like a motorcycle cop.
Now an odd case of indecent exposure involving a middle-aged man, school girl and a dachshund had occurred in Hamanomiya Park in Kakogawa city.
For those of you who enjoy playing the lottery, here’s a story that should help put your odds of winning in perspective.
Last December, painter Shigeru Aikoh was arrested from robbing a Kushikatsu (deep fried snacks) restaurant in Settsu, Osaka. However, prefectural police later discovered he was a part of a four man group responsible for a year-long crime spree around the prefecture totaling 4.5 million yen (US$572,000).
However, much to Aikoh’s dismay a fair chunk of that loot had turned out to be totally worthless.
One of my favorite things about staying at a hotel is all the complimentary stuff they let you take home. From toiletries to beverages, bathrobes to coffee makers, each visit to a hotel is like a smorgasbord of free everyday items—the only limit is your suitcase!
Some people claim that not everything in the hotel is free. That aside the cheap toiletries everything in the room is hotel property and taking it home is “stealing.”
Yeah, sure. Even if that is true, what are they going to do, call the Hotel Gestapo?
No, but they will call the police, as one Japanese couple found out after being arrested for stealing nearly $300 worth of hotel amenities.
When I was a kid, there was a period of about a week in school when everyone became obsessed with making “jokes” using “What’s the definition of…?” set-ups.
As well as failing to make anyone laugh, they rarely made much sense and were always both immensely long-winded and contrived…
Allow me to share an example:
“What’s the definition of ’cheeky’? Throwing a brick through someone’s window, then knocking on the door and asking for it back!”
Oh my sides….
Thankfully, though, a 16-year-old in Wakayama prefecture, Japan has done us all a favour and made an example of himself, putting an end to the eternal mystery “what’s the definition of ‘stupidity’?”
After more than three years of searching, Tokyo police thought they had finally gotten a lead on the whereabouts of Kazuyuki Kobayashi, a male restaurant owner who suddenly went missing in May 2009, when an investigation led them to three men who were said to be acquainted with Kobayashi before his disappearance.
The men, who had been arrested on separate charges of fraud earlier this year, were brought to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department for questioning on Sept. 27 and were immediately suspected of murder after it was found that Kobayashi has come to them demanding the repayment of an unspecified amount of money he had lent them earlier.
The case then took an even more gruesome turn when, on October 1, two of the suspects confessed that they had stewed the pulverized remains of Kobayashi in a pot of curry.
Sadly these days, we see more and more stories of crimes committed against young children. That’s why reporting anything out of the ordinary can help save lives.
However, on the Hyogo Prefectural Police operated online crime prevention board, “Hyogo Security Net” a suspicious person report was posted that made several people stop and scratch their heads. The police seem to have an APB out on themselves.
Japan is known for being one of the cleanest countries in the world, surely a point of pride for many Japanese people. But is it enough to pull a knife on someone for littering?
Last month, Tokyo police arrested a 60-year-old man for threatening a female high school student with a knife after they threw their trash on the ground of a public park.
A 19 year-old male university student was arrested on suspicion of violating the Minor Offenses Act for attempting to video tape inside another female university student’s room.
The shocking part was how he came to be arrested. Before starting the story, I would like to emphasize that this criminal was enrolled in an institution of higher learning, which should imply a certain level of intelligence.
A growing number of people all across Japan have been noticing their neighborhoods getting a little jazzier these days. If you live in Japan and haven’t seen them yet then just wait. But why have cities all over the country been trading in their traditional yellowish lights for the blue light special?
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
7-Eleven Japan’s new baked-in-store sweet treat is only available in three parts of the country
McDonald’s Japan adds new Hello Kitty and Pompompurin drinks to the menu for a limited time
You can assemble a well-balanced team of Pokémon, them eat them, thanks to Japanese cake chain
New Japanese KitKats come in sakura flavour, with poetic symbolism for success
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Sailor Moon’s Artemis is part of the Artemis II NASA mission control team[Video]
Tokyo turns its phone booths into free Wi-Fi hotspots, and here’s how to use them
Japan’s prime minister exchanges Dragon Ball kamehamehas with president of France[Video]
Mars Japan releases first-ever Japanese-themed M&Ms with princess and samurai characters
Pokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration events
Tokyo’s best museum for foreign travelers finally reopens after being closed for four years
Pokémon lacquerware series expands for Year of the Horse with new handcrafted design[Video]
Two food hacks take Japan’s convenience store fried chicken to amazing new sandwich heights
Tokyo subway and almost all Tokyo train lines now accepting credit card tap payments
Totoro Fund line of beautiful artwork and apparel lets you help the real-world Totoro Forest
Fading Tokyo – Searching for signs of the Showa era as local neighborhoods evolve[Photos]
Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]Tokyo turns its phone booths into free Wi-Fi hotspots, and here’s how to use them
Studio Ghibli adds new My Neighbour Totoro 2026 Corn Gift to its anime store for Mother’s DayPokémon and Ikea Japan cross over into each other’s worlds with collaboration eventsJapan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]Famous Tokyo cherry blossom spot installs view-blocking screens to fight overcrowding[Video]
Uniqlo announces new T-shirts for One Piece, Naruto and more for manga publisher’s 100th birthday
Train station platform ramen store closes its doors on half a century of history in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new My Fruit³ Frappuccino at only 34 stores around the country
Studio Ghibli releases Catbus pullback keychain that runs like the anime character
Krispy Kreme releases Super Mario doughnuts in Japan for a limited time
Japanese onsen egg maker from 100-yen store Daiso needs to be on your shopping list
Nine great places to see spring flowers in Japan, as chosen by travelers (with almost no sakura)
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Japan now has a special desk for people who work at home with a pet cat[Photos]
Sailor Moon’s Artemis is part of the Artemis II NASA mission control team[Video]
Tokyo turns its phone booths into free Wi-Fi hotspots, and here’s how to use them
Japan’s prime minister exchanges Dragon Ball kamehamehas with president of France[Video]
Mars Japan releases first-ever Japanese-themed M&Ms with princess and samurai characters
The young girl starring in this cool retro-style McDonald’s Japan video is actually 62 years old!
Is Tokyo’s ultra-expensive Satsuki sweet bean bread worth it?【Taste test】
Fading Tokyo – Searching for signs of the Showa era as local neighborhoods evolve[Photos]
Getting a driver’s license in Japan the hard way: The first written test
Eight Ways You Really, Really Shouldn’t Use a Japanese Toilet
How do Japan’s host club hosts get their professional names? We talk with five Kabukicho pros
McDonald’s Japan releases “intense” McPork burger, prompts Michelin chef to create jam hack
Let’s try all the melon bread types sold by Japanese convenience store Family Mart【Taste test】