Man Killed at Home in Japan’s Hiroshima Prefecture; Wife Also Injured

Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
Hiroshima prefectural police’s headquarters

HIROSHIMA — A man was attacked and killed at his home in Higashi-Hiroshima, Hiroshima Prefecture, in the early morning Monday, prompting police to launch a murder investigation.

According to the Hiroshima prefectural police, a neighbor called 119 at about 3:30 a.m. on the day and reported to the city’s fire department that the second floor of the victim’s house was on fire. Police officers found the victim bleeding in the garden of his house, and he was confirmed dead.

The decision to launch a murder investigation was made due to injuries found on the victim’s body.

The victim, who was in his 50s, lived with his wife, who is in her 40s, the police said. She was also bleeding.

The victim’s wife sought help from a neighbor around the time when the fire was reported. She reportedly told the police that a person who believed to be involved in the crime had fled the scene.

The fire was extinguished after about 4 hours and 30 minutes. The police are also investigating how the fire and the crime are related.