
Tens of millions of yen found at home of Aum Shinrikyo founder's wife
The cash was found when the Saitama Prefectural Police searched the apartment of Matsumoto's 66-year-old wife and 31-year-old second son, the sources said.
Matsumoto was executed in 2018 over a series of incidents involving the cult, including the 1995 sarin nerve gas attack on Tokyo's subway system.

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Japan Times
7 hours ago
- Japan Times
Sushi restaurant worker arrested over killing of colleague in Tokyo
Tokyo police have arrested a 56-year-old sushi restaurant worker for allegedly murdering a coworker at their restaurant in the capital's Toshima Ward on Friday. Masahito Ishioka has admitted to killing Tomoyuki Iwata, 32, saying that he lost his temper after his relationship with the victim soured, informed sources said. Ishioka is suspected of killing Iwata at the restaurant, located on the second floor of a building about 200 meters from JR Ikebukuro Station, around 4:30 p.m. Friday, stabbing him multiple times in the chest and stomach. Police found a bloodstained kitchen knife with a broken blade and handle in the restaurant. At the time of the incident, the restaurant was preparing to open, and several other people are believed to have been present. After the incident, the suspect turned himself in at a nearby police box, while the victim was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.


Japan Times
2 days ago
- Japan Times
Police detect 889 threatening posts ahead of Upper House poll
Police confirmed a total of 889 menacing online posts, including those threatening attacks on sites of campaign speeches, in the run-up to Sunday's election for the House of Councilors, the upper parliamentary chamber, the National Police Agency said Thursday in a report on security measures for the poll. The report also showed that 140 cutting tools, such as box cutters and scissors, were found through baggage screenings and metal detector checks conducted at almost all speech venues. But all the tools were for work and study, and no one was arrested. In response to a series of attacks by so-called lone offenders in recent years, including the fatal shooting of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, which occurred while he was giving a stump speech in 2022, the NPA set up the first-ever center for integrating threat information regarding such offenders ahead of the Upper House election. Lone offenders carry out terrorist attacks without belonging to groups based on political ideology or religious beliefs. The center took charge of analyzing posts on social media or online bulletin boards as well as information about suspicious persons, with the aim of preventing crimes and reinforcing security. The NPA confirmed the 889 threatening posts through cyber patrol and also thanks to reports from the public between June 16 and Saturday. The agency then took countermeasures according to the urgency of each case. For example, a man in his 40s from Chiba Prefecture was identified after repeatedly posting on July 13 at former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's official account on X, formerly Twitter, that he would be killed if he came to deliver a speech, and the Chiba prefectural police contacted the man on the same day. "Although it turned out that there was no case with a realistic threat, sharing information helped us to take effective countermeasures," an NPA official said. The agency plans to take similar steps for future elections. Security operations were conducted for around 900 events ahead of the Upper House poll, including speech meetings, half of which were held indoors due to the intense heat or at the request of police. Ahead of last year's election for the House of Representatives, the lower chamber, some 30 dangerous items were discovered through security checks. The number increased this time as inspections have become well established, and the efficiency of the organizers has improved, the agency official said.


NHK
2 days ago
- NHK
Nearly 900 alarming social media posts found over Japan's Upper House race
Japan's police agency says it identified nearly 900 disturbing social media posts targeting lawmakers and election candidates over the recent Upper House election. The National Police Agency says a total of 889 threatening posts related to the election were confirmed between June 16 and July 19. The agency says it identified users who shared highly troubling comments, warned them, and had them delete their posts. It also says most of the contents were threats to harm politicians and election contenders, such as, "I will shoot you if I find you" or "Watch your back." The agency adds that many of the posts were replying to social media comments by lawmakers and used slang to avoid direct expressions. It says it found no cases where someone actually plotted to commit a harmful act. It also says some people made posts while intoxicated, driven by dissatisfaction with politics. The police agency says the number of alarming posts tends to increase during election campaigns. It adds that it will review the police response and take further steps against radicalized individuals or groups.