It’s a gruesome story that’s making headlines across Japan. Police announced yesterday they had arrested four men who worked at a local painting company for the murder of their colleague last year. Reports say the men forced the victim to stand on train tracks so that his death would look like a suicide.
The suspects are painting company CEO Sasaki Manabu (39) and employees Shimakata Akihito (34), Nosaki Shunta (39), and Iwate Atsuya (30).
The victim, Takano Osamu, 56, was killed in December 2023 after the four ordered the Itabashi City resident to stand on the tracks, ordering him not to leave until a Tobu train line struck and killed him.
Initially, eyewitnesses said they saw Takano standing on the tracks prior to his death. However, police say that CCTV cameras caught several cars driving off from the scene, prompting an investigation.
It’s rare for Japanese police to arrest and charge suspects in a death that didn’t result directly from their actions. However, authorities say that the four men routinely bullied and physically abused Takano at work over mistakes he made. The men effectively broke Takano down until he became convinced he had to follow their orders.
Commenters on Yahoo! News Japan expressed sympathy for the victim and anger over the vicious disrespect his younger colleagues showed him.
“Being called names and suffering humiliating abuse by colleagues around your kids’ age must have broken his heart,” one wrote.
“Their arrest at least may help,” said another. “I hope this does a little to put his soul at ease.”
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Sources
会社の元同僚を自殺に見せかけ殺害か…車に乗せ監禁のうえ、線路に立ち入らせ電車と衝突 塗装会社の社長ら4人を殺人・監禁疑いで逮捕 背景には日常的ないじめか 警視庁. TBS News Dig and Yahoo! News Japan (comments)
線路入るようしむけ自殺に見せかけ男性殺害か 4人逮捕 警視庁. NHK News
