Public prosecutors have requested a mental examination for a man suspected of killing a former vice health minister and his wife in Saitama and attempting to kill the wife of another former vice health minister in Tokyo in November, sources said.
The prosecutors think the suspect, Takeshi Koizumi, 46, is mentally competent but want to clarify his mental status at the time because he said he allegedly carried out the crimes to retaliate for the destruction of his dog at a public health center when he was a child, they said.
Koizumi, a resident of Kita Ward, Saitama, with no fixed occupation, is suspected of stabbing Takehiko Yamaguchi, 66, a former vice minister of health and welfare, and his wife, Michiko, 61, to death at around 7 p.m. on Nov. 17. Their bodies were found Nov. 18 at their home in Minami Ward in the prefectural capital.
He also allegedly stabbed and wounded Yasuko Yoshihara, 72, the wife of Kenji Yoshihara, 76, another former health and welfare minister, at their home in Nakano Ward, Tokyo, at around 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 18, the police said. Yoshihara escaped injury because he was out at the time.
Koizumi went to the homes of the victims disguised as a deliveryman.
Koizumi surrendered to Tokyo police on Nov. 22 and was arrested on suspicion of possessing knives, which breaks the Firearm and Sword Control Law.
The suspect has told investigators he was angry that his pet dog had been put down 34 years ago by a public health center, which he thought was under the jurisdiction of the former Health and Welfare Ministry, police sources said earlier. The health centers were controlled by the Environment Ministry at the time.