TOYAMA (TR) – Police here have arrested a 53-year-old unemployed man in Toyama Prefecture who planned to carry out a random mass stabbing in Tokyo in hopes of being killed or executed, reports NHK (July 13).
Katsumi Mori, a resident of Namerikawa City, faces charges of preparation for murder. According to police, Mori booked a bus to Tokyo and packed a knife into his backpack with the intent of killing a large number of random people.
The plot was foiled on the 11th when police received a tip that an individual was planning a mass murder. Officers visited Mori’s home based on the information, where they discovered the packed knife and took him into custody.
Upon questioning, Mori largely admitted to the allegations, citing severe financial hardship caused by inflation as his primary motive.
“I wanted to die due to struggles making a living from high prices,” Mori told investigators. “I thought that if I caused a random mass stabbing in Tokyo, I would either be shot to death or get the death penalty, and be able to die.”
Police are continuing to investigate the details surrounding the planned attack.
