The Self-Defense Forces officer who invaded China's embassy with a knife and threatened to kill the ambassador has been prosecuted

According to Japan's Asahi Shimbun: On July 27, Tokyo District Prosecutors Office filed charges against the Japanese Self-Defense Forces officer for "unauthorized entry," violation of the Firearms and Swords Control Law, and intimidation, after his intrusion into China's Embassy.

At around 9 a.m. on March 24, 24-year-old Self-Defense Forces officer Kōdai Murata was arrested by Tokyo police for unauthorized entry into China's Embassy (in Minato Ward, Tokyo).

The district prosecutor determined that Murata Kōdai is criminally liable. According to the Tokyo District Prosecutors Office, prosecutors alleged that Murata carried an 18-centimeter knife on the day of the incident, entered China's Embassy, and hid inside. When embassy staff questioned him about his motive for intruding, Murata reportedly said things like, “Patriots of Japan represent Japan’s gods to exterminate you.” The district prosecutor concluded that such behavior constitutes a threat.

Murata took the Shinkansen train specially to Tokyo. After being apprehended by embassy personnel, he said, “I want to see the ambassador.”

According to interviews with Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department officers and investigators, Murata left his base in Miyazaki Prefecture the day before the incident, traveling to Tokyo via Shinkansen and express bus.

He spent the night at a manga café near Ginza Station and purchased a knife at a large retail store nearby. On the day of the incident, he traveled from Roppongi Station to China's Embassy. After surveying the surrounding area, he climbed over a fence from an adjacent building to gain entry.

Reportedly, Murata had a small scratch on his hand, believed to have been caused by grabbing the barbed wire. He hid among shrubs within the embassy compound. When he saw embassy staff smoking outside, he concealed his knife in the bushes. Once he confirmed no one and no vehicles were present, he emerged from the bushes, approached embassy officials, and said, “I want to see the ambassador.” At that point, he had already been hiding inside the embassy grounds for approximately 40 minutes.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1871851201905676/

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