KANAGAWA (TR) – Kanagawa Prefectural Police have arrested a 46-year-old man over the alleged fatal stabbing of a male neighbor in Hiratsuka City, reports TV Asahi (May 16).
At around 5:40 p.m. on Saturday, Naoaki Inoue, a truck driver, is alleged to have used a knife to repeatedly stab Akira Katakura, 70, in the chest.
After Inoue’s older brother alerted emergency services, Katakura was taken to a hospital where he was confirmed dead, the Hiratsuka Police Station said.
“Due to trouble, I tried to kill him,” Inoue told police in admitting to allegations of attempted murder.
According to police the residences of Inoue and Katakura are located about 40 meters apart. The incident was not the first involving the pair.
Last October, Inoue consulted with police. “I’m being harassed by Mr. Katakura,” he said by telephone. “I sleep in the daytime. But he makes sounds with his hands and a stick.”
Police are investigating whether to change the charges against the suspect to murder.
