TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested an 18-year-old American tourist who is suspected in a series of arson cases in two wards in the capital.
On Thursday, police arrested the American male on suspicion of setting fire to a waste collection container in Nihonbashi Kakigara-cho in Chuo Ward, reports Nippon News Network (Oct. 23).
Upon his arrest on suspicion of arson, the suspect denied the allegations. “I have no memory [of the matter],” he was quoted.
This week, seven fires of suspicious origin whereby garbage have broken out over a roughly circular area of 2-kilometer radius in Chuo and Sumida wards. The first blaze was early Monday.
The boy arrived in Japan with his family. They have gone sightseeing to various locations, including Tokyo Disney Resort and the Akihabara shopping area.
The family was scheduled to depart Japan for the United States on Wednesday.
Police are investigating whether the suspect was behind all seven fires of suspicious origin.
