TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 28-year-old man for allegedly strangling his wife and settibg their residence in Setagaya Ward on fire on Friday, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Oct. 21).
At around 9:00 a.m., Minori Seki, a company employee, allegedly used a cigarette lighter to ignite a towel in the bathroom of the residence, located in the Kamikitazawa area, the Seiji Police Station said.
As the blaze spread, the smoke caused his 27-year-old wife, who was sleeping at the time, to wake up. Seki then strangled her with his hands.
After his wife lost consciousness, Seki alerted emergency services from the balcony, saying he had killed her. A fire crew arriving at the residence extinguished the blaze and rushed the suspect’s wife to a hospital after finding her alive.
According to police, the woman suffered an injury to her throat due to smoke inhalation. Her condition is not considered life-threatening.
Seki, who has been accused of attempted murder and arson, admits to the allegations. “I hated being alive,” the suspect was quoted by police. “I wanted to murder my wife with the thought that I would also die.”