Okinawan man arrested for threats against U.S. Embassy

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police led task force arrested, a 52-year-old Okinawan man, Mar. 19th, for making bomb threats against the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo.

Mitsuyoshi Kamiya was arrested on Thursday in Kohagura, Naha, on suspicion of interfering with a public official in the line of duty. According to investigators, Kamiya made some 30 threatening phone calls to the embassy from a public phone between mid February and his arrest. Police say in his calls Kamiya threatened to bomb the embassy and Camp Schwab.

Police reportedly arrested Kamiya after tracking the source of the phone calls to public phones in convenience stores in Naha, and then checking the security camera footage.

According to media reports, he is also suspected of making specific threats of killing U.S. Ambassador Caroline Kennedy, and Alfred Magleby, the U.S. Consul General in Naha. Kamiya has reportedly admitted to the charges. According to a source at Tokyo Metropolitan Police, he has stated to investigators that he was angry over the U.S. military base relocation issue.

A police spokesman said that the calls had forced the U.S. Embassy to increase its security.

06:58 07 Oct , 2024