Japan Police Arrest Suspect in Fatal Pension Stabbing

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By Hideki Asai and Megumi Yamanaka

Nov. 23 (Bloomberg) -- Japanese police arrested a man who turned himself in last night, handing over two bloodstained knives and saying he killed a former government pension official.

Takeshi Koizumi, 46, was arrested for violating weapons laws and authorities are investigating whether he committed the murder, said an official at the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department. The official asked not to be identified by name, citing department policy.


Takehiko Yamaguchi, 66, a former senior official at the Health and Welfare Ministry, and his wife Michiko, 61, were found dead at their home in Saitama, near Tokyo, with stab wounds to their chests on Nov. 18. On the same day, Yasuko Yoshihara, 72, was stabbed at her Tokyo home by a man who pretended to be delivering a parcel, according to police reports. Yoshihara, who survived the attack, is the wife of Kenji Yoshihara, who once held the same position as Yamaguchi.

Police are investigating whether Koizumi also stabbed Yoshihara, the Kyodo newswire reported, citing police sources.

Both Yamaguchi and Yoshihara were involved in administering pension plans. The ministry has said records of retirement contributions for 50 million Japanese are missing or incomplete, a scandal that helped force the resignations of two prime ministers.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura today urged the police to complete a thorough investigation of the stabbings as soon as possible, the Yomiuri newspaper said.

To contact the reporters on this story: Megumi Yamanaka in Tokyo at myamanaka@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: November 23, 2008 01:15 EST