KANAGAWA (TR) – Kanagawa Prefectural Police on Saturday arrested a 66-year-old man over the alleged fatal stabbing of a neighbor at an apartment complex in Kawasaki City, reports Kyodo News (Jan. 12).
At around 1:30 p.m., Isao Wakaba, of no known occupation, tipped off police. “I stabbed a guy on the first floor, whose name I don’t know,” he reportedly said.
Officers arriving at the complex found Koichi Hidaka, 65, collapsed with wounds to the chest and abdomen inside his first-floor residence. He was later confirmed dead at a hospital, police said.
Police later accused Wakaba of attempted murder. During questioning, he said that he stabbed the victim three times. A blood-soaked knife was retrieved from his residence.
“I had some trouble before,” the suspect was quoted. “This year, a complaint about noise reached me via a real estate agent, and I thought I had to kill him. So, when he came home, I went downstairs and stabbed him.”
The complex includes eight units. Wakaba lives in the unit on the second floor that is directly above that of Hidaka.
Police are now investigating whether to change the charges against the suspect to murder.
