Press "Enter" to skip to content

Tokyo police: Shooting leaves ex-yakuza, acquaintance dead in Edogawa

Outside the residence in Edogawa Ward
Outside the residence in Edogawa Ward

TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police are investigating what is believed to have been a murder-suicide that left a former gangster and an acquaintance dead in a residence in Edogawa Ward, reports the Asahi Shimbun (May 19).

At approximately 2:45 a.m. on Thursday, police received a call from a man who said he had just shot someone and was about to shoot himself.

Officers arriving at the scene found the body of Akiyoshi Kurata, 54, collapsed and bleeding from his head inside a second-floor room of the residence, located in the Higashikasai area. Kurata was transported to a nearby hospital where he later died.

On the first floor, police found the body of Tadao Watanabe, 73, collapsed with a wound to the head. He was confirmed dead at the scene. A gun was found near his body.

Police suspectWatanabe shot Kurata with the gun before shooting himself. A neighbor tells that Asahi that two shots were heard coming from the residence during the early morning hours.

Watanabe, who was a member of an organized crime group that broke up 20 years ago, moved into the residence up to five years ago. Kurata became his roommate last year, according to the neighbor.

In recent months, police have received a number of complaints about noise coming from the residence. On May 13, police responded to call about a quarrel at the residence, according to NHK (May 19).

Police are now investigating how the gun was obtained.