Man Put on Wanted List over Robbery-Murder in Japan’s Tochigi

Utsunomiya, Tochigi Pref., May 29 (Jiji Press)--Police on Friday placed on a public wanted list a 48-year-old man who allegedly orchestrated a fatal home-invasion robbery in the eastern Japan prefecture of Tochigi and fled the country after the crime.

The Tochigi prefectural police department on Tuesday obtained an arrest warrant for the man, Kazuhiko Masuda, over the killing of Eiko Tomiyama, 69, at her home in the town of Kaminokawa on May 14. He faces allegations of robbery-murder.

Masuda left Japan for China from Narita International Airport near Tokyo on May 17. The police believe that he later moved to a Southeast Asian country and is hiding there.

The prefectural police will ask the Foreign Ministry through the National Police Agency to issue an order requiring Masuda to surrender his passport, while planning to find out his whereabouts through international arrangements and seek cooperation from foreign investigative authorities concerned.

According to the prefectural police, Masuda allegedly conspired with Kaito Takemae, 28, and his wife, Miyu, 25, along with four 16-year-old high school boys, breaking into Tomiyama’s home for robbery and killing her.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]