TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police last week revealed the discovery of several hundred guns and more than 1,000 bullets were found in the residence of a deceased man in Toshima Ward last week, reports the Asahi Shimbun (Jan. 30).
In December, the wife of the man tipped off police about the cache of weapons stored in lockers. Officers arriving at the scene found the arsenal, which includes pistols, rifles, airguns, at least one machine gun, survival knives and the rounds of ammunition, stored in lockers.
The majority of the weapons are genuine, possessing the ability to kill, police said.
The man, aged in his 50s, died of natural causes in July. His wife, who was not aware of the weapons, found them while cleaning, the Komagome Police Station said.
The man had a permit to possess some of the pistols and rifles under the Swords and Firearms Control Law. However, there were many weapons for which he did not possess such a permit, police said.
Police are not aware that the man had organized crime ties, suspecting he was a gun collector.
