OSAKA (TR) – Osaka Prefectural Police have arrested a city councilor for allegedly bringing a knife to the office of Asahi Broadcasting to take his life in lodging a protest, reports the NHK (Apr. 21).
At around 3:30 p.m. on Friday, Kenichi Sakon, a 70-year-old councilman for Tondabayashi City, produced a knife with an 18-centimeter-long blade that was wrapped inside a towel from his pocket while inside the main office of the broadcaster, located in Fukushima Ward.
Sakon was quickly apprehended by a security guard. Police arriving at the scene subsequently arrested the councilman for violating the Swords and Firearms Control Law.
About 30 minutes before the incident, Sakon arrived at the office with three other city councillors to lodge a protest with members of management over reports broadcast last year that covered personal expenses for political activities.
“In presenting a document, I intended to cut open my stomach,” the suspect was quoted by police.
A representative of Asahi Broadcasting described the incident as “truly regrettable.”
