A 57-year-old man was arrested Monday for allegedly burying human excrement in his Tokyo garden and creating a stench.
Kazuo Hoshino, of Nakano Ward, was arrested for allegedly violating the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's environment protection ordinance, police said.
It is the first time police have used the ordinance to arrest an individual over an odor problem.
According to police, Hoshino began burying excrement and garbage in his garden in April 2004. On June 2, the mayor of Nakano Ward ordered him to remove the source of the odor in line with the ordinance, but Hoshino continued his activities.
His neighbors filed a complaint at the Nakano Ward office, which in turn lodged an accusation with Nakano Police Station on June 21.
On June 29, police raided Hoshino's house and had a cesspit cleaning truck remove about 120 kg.
Hoshino admitted to police that he ignored the mayor's order.