Press "Enter" to skip to content

Tokyo cops nab homeless man, 42, in beating death of acquaintance along Arakawa River

Tokyo police arrested a homeless man over the beating death
Tokyo police have arrested a homeless man over the beating death of a male acquaintance along the Arakawa River (TBS News)

TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police on Saturday arrested a 42-year-old homeless man over the beating death of a male acquaintance along a riverbank in Katsushika Ward, reports the Asahi Shimbun (Nov. 18).

At around 5:50 p.m. on November 15, Sunao Kamiyama repeatedly Sachio Hatakeyama, 61, over the head while they drank under a bridge in the Yotsugi area along the Arakawa River.

Kamiyama, who has been accused of murder, denies the allegations. “My intention was to use the hammer to threaten him, not kill him,” the suspect was quoted by police.

According to police, both Kamiyama and Hatakeyama live along the river. Prior to the incident, the pair got into a dispute.

The matter came to light on Friday morning after Kamiyama alerted an employee at the Katsushika Ward office about Hatakeyama’s collapsed body near the water.