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Japan Times
16-07-2025
- Japan Times
Tokyo police arrest man for attempted arson at tourist go-kart company
Tokyo police arrested a 28-year-old man Wednesday on suspicion of attempted arson after he allegedly tried to set fire to a tourist go-kart company's property in the capital's Koto Ward. The suspect, Yuga Matsuoka, an employee at a leasing company and a resident of Nerima Ward, has confessed to the crime, telling police that the noise produced by the karts' engines had angered him. 'The sound from the karts' engines was so noisy, it was stressful,' he was quoted as saying. The incident occurred at around 4:40 a.m. on June 21. Matsuoka, who works in a warehouse next to the go-kart company, reportedly entered the premises after finishing his shift at work. He is believed to have tried to set fire to a container used for industrial waste, which led to the damage of three nearby go-karts and the exterior of a warehouse belonging to his employer. No one was present at the go-kart company at the time. A security guard who was patrolling the area noticed the fire and alerted emergency services. Authorities are also investigating a prior incident in May, when a note written in English, threatening to burn the go-karts if the engines were started, was found placed on top of the parked karts. The company, which owns around 70 go-karts, rents them out to tourists. These types of karts, which resemble those in the video game series Mario Kart, have become a popular attraction for foreign tourists, with many considering them a key part of their travel experience. However, there have been rising concerns over traffic violations and noise complaints. In 2023, the Tokyo Metropolitan Police received over 100 complaints regarding the go-kart activities. Translated by The Japan Times
Japan Times
15-07-2025
- Health
- Japan Times
Freezer glitch affects blood products at Red Cross center in Tokyo
A freezer glitch rendered about 13,700 units of fresh frozen plasma blood unusable at the Japanese Red Cross Society's blood center in Tokyo in May, it was learned Tuesday. The incident did not affect deliveries of blood products to medical institutions, and the affected units will be used as materials for other products that can be stored at higher temperatures, officials of the center said. On May 11, a freezer at the blood center in Tokyo's Koto Ward lost power around 10:30 p.m. Before the power was restored about four hours later, the temperature of the fresh frozen plasma blood units inside was above the standard level of minus 20 degrees Celsius for about two and a half hours. The power cut was caused by a faulty device installation in the temperature control panel, the officials said. The Japanese Red Cross Society reported the incident to the health ministry on June 10. At a news conference on Tuesday, health minister Takamaro Fukuoka said the ministry strongly demanded the society report any incident in a timely manner.
