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Osaka cops: Feud over dog likely led to stabbing death of elderly man

Shigeki Hajima
Osaka police have accused Shigeki Hajima of stabbing an elderly neighbor to death in Taisho Ward (TBS News)

OSAKA (TR) – Osaka Prefectural Police on Sunday arrested a 35-year-old man on charges of murder after his elderly neighbor was found stabbed to death, possibly the result of a feud over a pet dog, reports TBS News (Apr. 30).

Sometime between April 27 and 29, Shigeki Hajima, 35, allegedly stabbed his next-door neighbor Yoshio Kenmotsu, 71, to death inside the victim’s residence, located on the third floor of a building in Taisho Ward.

The body of the victim was found dead with over 10 stab wounds in the apartment at around 1 p.m. on Saturday.

Hajima denies the charges. However, prior to his arrest he told police during questioning that the victim complained about his dog. “I stabbed him in the face with a knife,” the suspect was quoted, according to the Sankei Shimbun (Apr. 30).

Hajima and Kenmotsu were the only residents on the third floor. Hajima became a person of interest for police since blood was found in the corridor of the third floor and no other floors.

At the time of the discovery of the body of the Kenmotsu, the whereabouts of Hajima were not known. However, he returned home on Saturday with an injury to his left hand. It was around this time that he told police that he stabbed the victim.

Hajima and Kenmotsu were acquainted. Kenmotsu used to be an employee at a company dormitory. Hajima is the son of the president of the company “Through this work, Mr. Kenmotsu taught me various things,” the suspect told the Sankei on Saturday, prior to his arrest. “I have never heard about him getting into any kind of trouble. It is a shame that he died.”