Crime & Courts

GSDF Rifle Attack Suspect Rearrested on Fresh Murder Charge

The Yomiuri Shimbun
The Ground Self-Defense Force’s Hino basic shooting range in Gifu City

Jiji Press

16:35 JST, July 5, 2023

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — The Ground Self-Defense Force’s military police served a fresh arrest warrant on Tuesday to the suspect in a fatal rifle attack at a GSDF shooting range in Gifu Prefecture last month.

The Defense Ministry said the 18-year-old cadet was newly charged with shooting Master Sgt. Yasuchika Kikumatsu, 52, to death with an automatic rifle in the indoor range on June 14 morning. Kikumatsu was specially promoted to sergeant major after the incident.

The military police were asked by the Gifu District Public Prosecutors Office not to disclose whether the man had admitted to the charge, the ministry added.

According to people familiar with the matter, the suspect told interrogators before going silent that he did not intend to kill GSDF members including Kikumatsu.