SAITAMA (TR) – Kanagawa Prefectural Police have re-arrested a male member of an activist group in custody over the firing of projectiles near a U.S. military base four years ago over another incident in Saitama Prefecture, reports the Asahi Shimbun (Nov. 28).
On Tuesday, police announced the re-arrest of Toyotsuna Numata, a 66-year-old member of Kakumeiteki Rodosha Kyokai, for installing a firing weapon set to a timer outside a stairwell of an apartment building in Kawaguchi City around October 20, 2014.
According to police, the weapon was pointed at a neighboring office of a construction firm studying the relocation of the U.S. Futenma Air Station to the Henoko coastal area of Nago City, Okinawa Prefecture. A projectile from the weapon struck a window frame of the office shortly after it was installed.
Police suspect that Numata, who has been accused of trespassing and violating the Swords and Firearms Control, worked with an associate in planting the weapon. Numata has declined to comment on the allegations.
In July, police first first arrested Numata for arranging projectiles that were fired from two improvised rocket launchers at Yokota Air Base in Kanagawa Prefecture on the evening of November 29, 2013.
Raids in Toyo’s Toshima Ward
In February of last year, police raided three hideouts for Kakumeiteki Rodosha Kyokai, including a location in Tokyo’s Toshima Ward. During the raids, police seized parts for explosive devices, circuit diagrams and other documents. Among the devices was one that matched that used in Kawaguchi.
Several fingerprints belonging to Numata were also discovered on the items, leading investigators to believe he has been involved in the production of explosives.
