KANAGAWA (TR) – Prosecutors have announced the non-prosecution of a male British national who was accused of dumping trash into mailboxes in Kamakura City, reports Fuji News Network (June 11).
On March 22, Anthony Tanaka, of no known occupation, allegedly stuffed an empty bento (boxed meal) container, chopsticks and a plastic bottle into a street mailbox in front of the city’s government office.
Upon his arrest on suspicion of violating the Waste Management and Public Cleansing Act, Tanaka, 37, denied the allegations. “I thought it was a garbage can,” the suspect told the Kamakura Police Station.
On Thursday, prosecutors with the Yokohama District Public Prosecutor’s Office announced the non-prosecution of Tanaka. No reason for the non-prosecution was given.
The matter emerged last December 24 when the Kamakura Post Office telephoned police to report “mail stained by garbage.”
Through March 17, police confirmed that a total of 150 pieces of mail had been soiled in seven incidents. Of those incidents, three took place at the mailbox in front of the city office.
An officer on patrol apprehended Tanaka after seeing him insert the bento box into the slot. After arresting Tanaka, police began investigating whether he was behind the other incidents.
