List of massacres in Japan
Updated: 11/6/2025, 1:22:59 AM Wikipedia source
The following is a list of massacres that have occurred in Japan and its predecessor entities ranging back to the Tokugawa shogunate (Some historical numbers may be approximate). The massacres are grouped into different time periods. Massacres have become a growing problem in contemporary Japan in recent years, with at least 110+ deaths during the 2010s. Most notably, the 2019 Kyoto Animation arson attack claimed at least 36 lives and injured an additional 34. It is one of the deadliest massacres in Japan since the end of World War II and the deadliest building fire in Japan since the 2001 Myojo 56 building fire. It was considered "suicidal terrorism" by one criminology professor at Rissho University, as the attack was reportedly intended to be a suicide mission by the suspect. In December 2021, another arson attack occurred, this time at a building in Osaka, specifically at a psychiatric clinic located on the fourth floor. It killed 25 and injured an additional 3. The suspect, who died in hospital two weeks later, is believed to have been inspired by the 2019 attack in Kyoto.
Tables
· Massacres › Heian period (794–1185)
Siege of Nara
Siege of Nara
Date
15 January 1181
Name
Siege of Nara
Location
Nara
Perpetrator
Taira clan
Deaths
4,500
Notes
The Taira clan set fire to temples and monasteries, in all 3,500 civilians, and 1,000 warrior monks died in the burning.
| Date | Name | Location | Perpetrator | Deaths | Notes |
| 15 January 1181 | Siege of Nara | Nara | Taira clan | 4,500 | The Taira clan set fire to temples and monasteries, in all 3,500 civilians, and 1,000 warrior monks died in the burning. |
· Massacres › Kamakura period (1185–1333)
Revenge of the Soga Brothers
Revenge of the Soga Brothers
Date
28 June 1193
Name
Revenge of the Soga Brothers
Location
Kamino, Fujino, Shizuoka Prefecture
Perpetrator
Soga Sukenari and Tokimune
Deaths
5+
Notes
The Soga brothers, Soga Sukenari and Tokimune, assassinated Kudō Suketsune, the killer of their biological father. The incident included a failed assassination attempt on the shogun, and resulted in many deaths and injuries of unrelated participants.
| Date | Name | Location | Perpetrator | Deaths | Notes |
| 28 June 1193 | Revenge of the Soga Brothers | Kamino, Fujino, Shizuoka Prefecture | Soga Sukenari and Tokimune | 5+ | The Soga brothers, Soga Sukenari and Tokimune, assassinated Kudō Suketsune, the killer of their biological father. The incident included a failed assassination attempt on the shogun, and resulted in many deaths and injuries of unrelated participants. |
· Massacres › Sengoku period (1467–1603)
Horikawa castle massacre [ja]
Horikawa castle massacre [ja]
Date
27 March 1569
Name
Horikawa castle massacre [ja]
Location
Horikawa castle, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka
Perpetrator
Ishikawa Hanzaburo
Deaths
700
Notes
After it was captured, Tokugawa Ieyasu ordered Ishikawa Hanzaburo to massacre the castle prisoners and castle denizens, including women and children. It was recorded around 700 peoples beheaded on the banks of the Miyakoda River
Siege of Mount Hiei
Siege of Mount Hiei
Date
30 September 1571
Name
Siege of Mount Hiei
Location
Inside the Enryaku-ji temple complex on Mount Hiei
Perpetrator
Oda Nobunaga's army
Deaths
1,500-4,000
Notes
Massacre of the Buddhist warrior monks who refused to submit to the warlord Oda Nobunaga.
Third siege of Nagashima
Third siege of Nagashima
Date
1574
Name
Third siege of Nagashima
Location
Nagashima fortress, Owari Province
Perpetrator
Oda Nobunaga's army
Deaths
20,000
Notes
Massacre of 20,000 Ikkō followers by the forces of Oda Nobunaga
Siege of Itami
Siege of Itami
Date
1579
Name
Siege of Itami
Location
Itami Castle, Settsu Province
Perpetrator
Oda Nobunaga's army
Deaths
670
Notes
Defenders from the Itami clan and their families were killed after the capture of Itami Castle.
Odemori Castle massacre
Odemori Castle massacre
Date
27 August 1585
Name
Odemori Castle massacre
Location
Odemori Castle. Harimichi, Nihonmatsu, Fukushima Prefecture
Perpetrator
Date Masamune's Forces
Deaths
1,000
Notes
Date Masamune's soldiers stormed Odemori Castle, killing 1,000 people, including women and children.
Kunohe rebellion
Kunohe rebellion
Date
13 March – 4 September 1591
Name
Kunohe rebellion
Location
Kunohe Castle, Mutsu Province (present-day Ninohe, Iwate Prefecture)
Perpetrator
Forces of Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Deaths
unknown
Notes
Toyotomi Hideyoshi forces executed the prisoners, along with Kunohe Masazane himself. The remaining defenders, including women and children, were forced into the second bailey, which was then set on fire. According to contemporary records, the fire burned for three days and three nights and killed all within.
The massacre of Toyotomi Hidetsugu's entire family
The massacre of Toyotomi Hidetsugu's entire family
Date
5 September 1595
Name
The massacre of Toyotomi Hidetsugu's entire family
Location
Sanjogawara, Kyoto
Perpetrator
Toyotomi Hideyoshi
Deaths
39
Notes
Hideyoshi ordered the execution of Hidetsugu's entire family, including children, wives and concubines.
| Date | Name | Location | Perpetrator | Deaths | Notes |
| 27 March 1569 | Horikawa castle massacre [ja] | Horikawa castle, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka | Ishikawa Hanzaburo | 700 | After it was captured, Tokugawa Ieyasu ordered Ishikawa Hanzaburo to massacre the castle prisoners and castle denizens, including women and children. It was recorded around 700 peoples beheaded on the banks of the Miyakoda River |
| 30 September 1571 | Siege of Mount Hiei | Inside the Enryaku-ji temple complex on Mount Hiei | Oda Nobunaga's army | 1,500-4,000 | Massacre of the Buddhist warrior monks who refused to submit to the warlord Oda Nobunaga. |
| 1574 | Third siege of Nagashima | Nagashima fortress, Owari Province | Oda Nobunaga's army | 20,000 | Massacre of 20,000 Ikkō followers by the forces of Oda Nobunaga |
| 1579 | Siege of Itami | Itami Castle, Settsu Province | Oda Nobunaga's army | 670 | Defenders from the Itami clan and their families were killed after the capture of Itami Castle. |
| 27 August 1585 | Odemori Castle massacre | Odemori Castle. Harimichi, Nihonmatsu, Fukushima Prefecture | Date Masamune's Forces | 1,000 | Date Masamune's soldiers stormed Odemori Castle, killing 1,000 people, including women and children. |
| 13 March – 4 September 1591 | Kunohe rebellion | Kunohe Castle, Mutsu Province (present-day Ninohe, Iwate Prefecture) | Forces of Toyotomi Hideyoshi | unknown | Toyotomi Hideyoshi forces executed the prisoners, along with Kunohe Masazane himself. The remaining defenders, including women and children, were forced into the second bailey, which was then set on fire. According to contemporary records, the fire burned for three days and three nights and killed all within. |
| 5 September 1595 | The massacre of Toyotomi Hidetsugu's entire family | Sanjogawara, Kyoto | Toyotomi Hideyoshi | 39 | Hideyoshi ordered the execution of Hidetsugu's entire family, including children, wives and concubines. |
· Massacres › Tokugawa shogunate (1603–1868)
Mass beheadings at the final days of the Shimabara revolt
Mass beheadings at the final days of the Shimabara revolt
Date
12–15 April 1638
Name
Mass beheadings at the final days of the Shimabara revolt
Location
Inside and around Hara Castle, Minamishimabara
Perpetrator
Shogunate army
Deaths
37,000
Notes
Rebels and sympathizers were beheaded by military forces. Afterwards, the Hara Castle was also burned to the ground.
Yoshiwara spree killing
Yoshiwara spree killing
Date
December 1696
Name
Yoshiwara spree killing
Location
Yoshiwara
Perpetrator
Sano Jirōzaemon
Deaths
?
Notes
Sano Jirōzaemon murdered dozens of prostitutes with a katana in Yoshiwara
| Date | Name | Location | Perpetrator | Deaths | Notes |
| 12–15 April 1638 | Mass beheadings at the final days of the Shimabara revolt | Inside and around Hara Castle, Minamishimabara | Shogunate army | 37,000 | Rebels and sympathizers were beheaded by military forces. Afterwards, the Hara Castle was also burned to the ground. |
| December 1696 | Yoshiwara spree killing | Yoshiwara | Sano Jirōzaemon | ? | Sano Jirōzaemon murdered dozens of prostitutes with a katana in Yoshiwara |
· Massacres › Empire of Japan (1868–1947)
Kawachi Jūningiri
Kawachi Jūningiri
Date
25 May 1893
Name
Kawachi Jūningiri
Location
Chihayaakasaka, Minamikawachi District, Osaka
Perpetrator
Kumatarō Kido and Yagorō Tani
Deaths
13 (including the perpetrators)
Notes
Kumatarō Kido and Yagorō Tani killed eleven people before committing suicide.
March 1st demonstrations
March 1st demonstrations
Date
1 March 1919
Name
March 1st demonstrations
Location
Korea under Japanese rule
Perpetrator
Imperial Japanese Army
Deaths
7,509
Notes
15,849 Koreans wounded
Jeamni massacre
Jeamni massacre
Date
15 April 1919
Name
Jeamni massacre
Location
Hwaseong, Chōsen
Perpetrator
Imperial Japanese Army
Deaths
20 to 30
Notes
Killing of 20 to 30 unarmed Korean civilians inside a church in Hwaseong by the Imperial Japanese Army
Gando massacre
Gando massacre
Date
October 1920
Name
Gando massacre
Location
Jiandao
Perpetrator
Imperial Japanese Army
Deaths
5,000+
Shinano River incident
Shinano River incident
Date
July 1922
Name
Shinano River incident
Location
Shinano River
Perpetrator
Okura zaibatsu
Deaths
100+
Notes
Massacre of up to 100 Korean laborers who tried to escape the construction site by the Plant foremen
Kantō Massacre
Kantō Massacre
Date
September 1923
Name
Kantō Massacre
Location
Kantō region
Perpetrator
Imperial Japanese Army, Police and vigilante civilians
Deaths
6,000+
Notes
With the explicit and implicit approval of parts of the Japanese government, the Japanese military, police, and vigilantes murdered an estimated 6,000 people: mainly ethnic Koreans, but also Chinese and misidentified Japanese, and Japanese communists, socialists, and anarchists, Multiple incidents occurred, including the Fukuda Village Incident, Kameido incident and Amakasu Incident
Kobe shooting
Kobe shooting
Date
May 1928
Name
Kobe shooting
Location
Kobe
Perpetrator
Chinese man
Deaths
7-12 (including the perpetrator)
Notes
11 or 7 Japanese were shot to death by a Chinese man in Kobe in revenge for the Jinan incident and then he committed suicide
1931 Empress of Canada stabbings
1931 Empress of Canada stabbings
Date
5 June 1931
Name
1931 Empress of Canada stabbings
Location
aboard RMS Empress of Canada, off Japan
Perpetrator
Graciano Bilas
Deaths
2
Notes
42-year-old Filipino passenger Graciano Bilas killed two people and wounded 29 others with a knife
Tsuyama massacre
Tsuyama massacre
Date
21 May 1938
Name
Tsuyama massacre
Location
Tsuyama
Perpetrator
Mutsuo Toi
Deaths
31 (including the perpetrator)
Notes
After cutting off electricity to his village, 21-year-old Mutsuo Toi proceeded to go on a late-night killing spree with a shotgun, a katana, and an axe before killing himself, 3 injured
Chichijima incident
Chichijima incident
Date
2 September 1944
Name
Chichijima incident
Location
Chichijima, Ogasawara Islands
Perpetrator
Imperial Japanese Army
Deaths
8
Notes
Japanese soldiers killed eight American airmen on Chichi Jima, in the Bonin Islands, and cannibalized four of them. The ninth, and only one to evade capture, was future U.S. President George H. W. Bush
Kumejima Massacre
Kumejima Massacre
Date
June - August 1945
Name
Kumejima Massacre
Location
Kumejima, Kume Island, Okinawa
Perpetrator
Imperial Japanese Navy
Deaths
20
Notes
Murder of 20 residents by Imperial Japanese Navy, after they were considered spies for the American army. Part of Battle of Okinawa.
Hanaoka incident
Hanaoka incident
Date
July 1945
Name
Hanaoka incident
Location
Ōdate
Perpetrator
Imperial Japanese Army
Deaths
418
Notes
113 prisoners of war executed; 307 also died
| Date | Name | Location | Perpetrator | Deaths | Notes |
| 25 May 1893 | Kawachi Jūningiri | Chihayaakasaka, Minamikawachi District, Osaka | Kumatarō Kido and Yagorō Tani | 13 (including the perpetrators) | Kumatarō Kido and Yagorō Tani killed eleven people before committing suicide. |
| 1 March 1919 | March 1st demonstrations | Korea under Japanese rule | Imperial Japanese Army | 7,509 | 15,849 Koreans wounded |
| 15 April 1919 | Jeamni massacre | Hwaseong, Chōsen | Imperial Japanese Army | 20 to 30 | Killing of 20 to 30 unarmed Korean civilians inside a church in Hwaseong by the Imperial Japanese Army |
| October 1920 | Gando massacre | Jiandao | Imperial Japanese Army | 5,000+ | |
| July 1922 | Shinano River incident | Shinano River | Okura zaibatsu | 100+ | Massacre of up to 100 Korean laborers who tried to escape the construction site by the Plant foremen |
| September 1923 | Kantō Massacre | Kantō region | Imperial Japanese Army, Police and vigilante civilians | 6,000+ | With the explicit and implicit approval of parts of the Japanese government, the Japanese military, police, and vigilantes murdered an estimated 6,000 people: mainly ethnic Koreans, but also Chinese and misidentified Japanese, and Japanese communists, socialists, and anarchists, Multiple incidents occurred, including the Fukuda Village Incident, Kameido incident and Amakasu Incident |
| May 1928 | Kobe shooting | Kobe | Chinese man | 7-12 (including the perpetrator) | 11 or 7 Japanese were shot to death by a Chinese man in Kobe in revenge for the Jinan incident and then he committed suicide |
| 5 June 1931 | 1931 Empress of Canada stabbings | aboard RMS Empress of Canada, off Japan | Graciano Bilas | 2 | 42-year-old Filipino passenger Graciano Bilas killed two people and wounded 29 others with a knife |
| 21 May 1938 | Tsuyama massacre | Tsuyama | Mutsuo Toi | 31 (including the perpetrator) | After cutting off electricity to his village, 21-year-old Mutsuo Toi proceeded to go on a late-night killing spree with a shotgun, a katana, and an axe before killing himself, 3 injured |
| 2 September 1944 | Chichijima incident | Chichijima, Ogasawara Islands | Imperial Japanese Army | 8 | Japanese soldiers killed eight American airmen on Chichi Jima, in the Bonin Islands, and cannibalized four of them. The ninth, and only one to evade capture, was future U.S. President George H. W. Bush |
| June - August 1945 | Kumejima Massacre | Kumejima, Kume Island, Okinawa | Imperial Japanese Navy | 20 | Murder of 20 residents by Imperial Japanese Navy, after they were considered spies for the American army. Part of Battle of Okinawa. |
| July 1945 | Hanaoka incident | Ōdate | Imperial Japanese Army | 418 | 113 prisoners of war executed; 307 also died |
· Massacres › Occupied Japan (1947–1952)
Teigin case
Teigin case
Date
26 January 1948
Name
Teigin case
Location
Tokyo
Perpetrator
Sadamichi Hirasawa
Deaths
12
Notes
False verdict suspected
Mitaka incident
Mitaka incident
Date
15 July 1949
Name
Mitaka incident
Location
Tokyo
Perpetrator
Keisuke Takeuchi
Deaths
8
Notes
20 injured. False verdict suspected
Matsukawa derailment
Matsukawa derailment
Date
17 August 1949
Name
Matsukawa derailment
Location
Between Kanayagawa and Matsukawa, Fukushima Prefecture
Perpetrator
Unknown
Deaths
3
Notes
A Japanese National Railways passenger train derails and overturns on the Tōhoku Main Line between Kanayagawa and Matsukawa stations in Fukushima Prefecture due to sabotage, killing three crewmembers; all 412 passengers survive
| Date | Name | Location | Perpetrator | Deaths | Notes |
| 26 January 1948 | Teigin case | Tokyo | Sadamichi Hirasawa | 12 | False verdict suspected |
| 15 July 1949 | Mitaka incident | Tokyo | Keisuke Takeuchi | 8 | 20 injured. False verdict suspected |
| 17 August 1949 | Matsukawa derailment | Between Kanayagawa and Matsukawa, Fukushima Prefecture | Unknown | 3 | A Japanese National Railways passenger train derails and overturns on the Tōhoku Main Line between Kanayagawa and Matsukawa stations in Fukushima Prefecture due to sabotage, killing three crewmembers; all 412 passengers survive |
· Massacres › State of Japan (1952–present)
Hakamada Incident
Hakamada Incident
Date
30 June 1966
Name
Hakamada Incident
Location
Shimizu, Shizuoka
Perpetrator
Unknown
Deaths
4
Notes
False verdict suspected
Mitsubishi bombing
Mitsubishi bombing
Date
30 August 1974
Name
Mitsubishi bombing
Location
Tokyo
Perpetrator
East Asia Anti-Japan Armed Front
Deaths
8
Notes
Powerful bomb explodes at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries headquarters in Marunouchi. Eight killed, 378 injured. Eight left-wing activists are arrested May 19, 1975, by Japanese authorities.
1975 Aki shooting
1975 Aki shooting
Date
6 November 1975
Name
1975 Aki shooting
Location
Aki, Kōchi Prefecture
Perpetrator
Ikuya Hatakeyama
Deaths
6
Notes
31-year-old Ikuya Hatakeyama shoots eight of his neighbours with a 12-gauge shotgun, killing six and critically injuring two
Mitsubishi Bank hostage incident
Mitsubishi Bank hostage incident
Date
26 - 28 January 1979
Name
Mitsubishi Bank hostage incident
Location
Mitsubishi Bank, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka
Perpetrator
Akiyoshi Umekawa
Deaths
5 (including the perpetrator)
Notes
Akiyoshi Umekawa shot dead four people in a Mitsubishi Bank
Nigishima murders
Nigishima murders
Date
31 January 1980
Name
Nigishima murders
Location
Nigishima, Kumano, Mie Prefecture
Perpetrator
Kazumichi Ikeda
Deaths
8 (including the perpetrator)
Notes
Farmer Kazumichi Ikeda kills seven members of his family and injures 3 with an ax and a shotgun before killing himself
Shinjuku bus attack
Shinjuku bus attack
Date
19 August 1980
Name
Shinjuku bus attack
Location
Shinjuku, Tokyo
Perpetrator
Maruyama Hirobumi
Deaths
6
Notes
A mentally disturbed man Maruyama Hirobumi throws a bucket of petrol and a lit newspaper into a bus. The ensuing fire killed 6 and injured 14.
Japan Air Lines Flight 350
Japan Air Lines Flight 350
Date
9 February 1982
Name
Japan Air Lines Flight 350
Location
Haneda Airport, Tokyo
Perpetrator
Seiji Katagiri
Deaths
24
Notes
Flight 350 was on approach to Haneda Airport when the pilot Seiji Katagiri deliberately nose-dived the plane to crash it. The pilot was then subdued by other flight crews, yet the plane remained descending. It then crashed into Tokyo Bay. The pilot who deliberately nose-dived the plane was suffering from mental illness before the incident
Taneichi murders
Taneichi murders
Date
9 August 1989
Name
Taneichi murders
Location
Taneichi, Iwate
Perpetrator
Hidetake Kakuchiyama
Deaths
5
Notes
Hidetake Kakuchiyama, a former fishing crew member, murders his wife and 4 children over a divorce dispute in Taneichi, Iwate
Sakamoto family murder
Sakamoto family murder
Date
5 November 1989
Name
Sakamoto family murder
Location
Isogo-ku, Yokohama
Perpetrator
Aum Shinrikyo
Deaths
3
Notes
Tsutsumi Sakamoto, a lawyer working on a lawsuit against the cult Aum Shinrikyo, was kidnapped and murdered by members of the cult along with his wife and 14-month-old son
Ichikawa Family Murder Case
Ichikawa Family Murder Case
Date
5 - 6 March 1992
Name
Ichikawa Family Murder Case
Location
Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture
Perpetrator
Teruhiko Seki
Deaths
4
Notes
Robbery-murder of 4 members of an executive's family by Teruhiko Seki
Matsumoto incident
Matsumoto incident
Date
27–28 June 1994
Name
Matsumoto incident
Location
Matsumoto
Perpetrator
Aum Shinrikyo
Deaths
8
Notes
Members of the Aum Shinrikyo doomsday cult released sarin gas near the homes of several judges who presiding over legal cases involving the cult. 500+ injured
Tokyo subway sarin attack
Tokyo subway sarin attack
Date
20 March 1995
Name
Tokyo subway sarin attack
Location
Tokyo
Perpetrator
Aum Shinrikyo
Deaths
13
Notes
6,252 injured
Wakayama arsenic poison case
Wakayama arsenic poison case
Date
25 July 1998
Name
Wakayama arsenic poison case
Location
Sonobe district of Wakayama, Wakayama
Perpetrator
Masumi Hayashi
Deaths
4
Notes
Four people are killed and 63 injured after eating curry laced with arsenic at a community festival in Wakayama. Masumi Hayashi, the chief suspect, has been sentenced to death and is currently appealing.
Ikebukuro massacre
Ikebukuro massacre
Date
8 September 1999
Name
Ikebukuro massacre
Location
Tokyo
Perpetrator
Hiroshi Zota
Deaths
2
Notes
6 injured
Shimonoseki Station massacre
Shimonoseki Station massacre
Date
29 September 1999
Name
Shimonoseki Station massacre
Location
Shimonoseki
Perpetrator
Yasuaki Uwabe
Deaths
5
Notes
Yasuaki Uwabe, a former architect, drove a rented car into Shimonoseki Station and hit at least 7 people, two of whom died before the car got stuck. He then proceeded to stab pedestrians at random with a kitchen knife, injuring 4 and killing a further 3. Uwabe was eventually apprehended by a station worker and was arrested shortly after. Uwabe was executed in 2012.
Setagaya family murder
Setagaya family murder
Date
30 December 2000
Name
Setagaya family murder
Location
Setagaya
Perpetrator
Unknown
Deaths
4
Notes
A Family of four are murdered at their home in suburban Tokyo by an unknown intruder, the case remains unsolved.
Takefuji Hirosaki branch arson murder case
Takefuji Hirosaki branch arson murder case
Date
8 May 2001
Name
Takefuji Hirosaki branch arson murder case
Location
Hirosaki, Aomori prefecture
Perpetrator
Mitsuhiro Kobayashi
Deaths
5
Notes
A Former taxi driver Mitsuhiro Kobayash kills 5 employees and hurts 4 during a robbery followed by arson at a Takefuji Corp branch in Hirosaki.
Ikeda school massacre
Ikeda school massacre
Date
8 June 2001
Name
Ikeda school massacre
Location
Ikeda
Perpetrator
Mamoru Takuma
Deaths
8
Notes
37-year-old former janitor Mamoru Takuma entered an elementary school in Osaka, then used a kitchen knife to kill 8 students. He wounded an additional 13 other students and 2 teachers
Myojo 56 building fire
Myojo 56 building fire
Date
1 September 2001
Name
Myojo 56 building fire
Location
Shinjuku
Perpetrator
Unknown
Deaths
44
Notes
Perpetrator never caught.
Fukuoka family murder case
Fukuoka family murder case
Date
20 June 2003
Name
Fukuoka family murder case
Location
Higashi-ku, Fukuoka
Perpetrator
Wei Wei, Yang Ning and Wang Liang
Deaths
4
Notes
Businessman Shinjiro Matsumoto, his wife Chika and two children aged 11 and 8 are murdered in a robbery by three Chinese students who broke into their home and dumped their bodies in Hakata Bay. Two of the three - Yang Ning and Wang Liang – fled to China where they were arrested. Yang was executed and Wang sentenced to life imprisonment. The third, Wei Wei, was arrested in Japan and was held on death row until finally executed in December 2019.
Ōmuta murders
Ōmuta murders
Date
18 - 20 September 2004
Name
Ōmuta murders
Location
Omuta, Fukuoka
Perpetrator
Kitamura-gumi
Deaths
4
Notes
Mob wife Mami Kitamura murders four people with her husband and two sons.
Tsuchiura massacre
Tsuchiura massacre
Date
19 - 23 March 2008
Name
Tsuchiura massacre
Location
Tsuchiura, Ibaraki
Perpetrator
Masahiro Kanagawa
Deaths
2
Notes
7 injured
Akihabara massacre
Akihabara massacre
Date
8 June 2008
Name
Akihabara massacre
Location
Chiyoda
Perpetrator
Tomohiro Katō
Deaths
7
Notes
10 injured
Osaka movie theater fire
Osaka movie theater fire
Date
1 October 2008
Name
Osaka movie theater fire
Location
Osaka
Perpetrator
Kazuhiro Ogawa
Deaths
16
2010 Habikino shooting
2010 Habikino shooting
Date
12 January 2010
Name
2010 Habikino shooting
Location
Iichan bar, Habikino, Osaka Prefecture
Perpetrator
Yasuhisa Sugiura
Deaths
4 (including the perpetrator)
Etajima stabbings
Etajima stabbings
Date
14 March 2013
Name
Etajima stabbings
Location
Etajima, Hiroshima
Perpetrator
Chen Shuangxi
Deaths
2
Notes
6 Wounded
Yamaguchi arson and murders
Yamaguchi arson and murders
Date
21 – 22 July 2013
Name
Yamaguchi arson and murders
Location
Mitake
Perpetrator
Kosei Homi
Deaths
5
Sumoto stabbings
Sumoto stabbings
Date
9 March 2015
Name
Sumoto stabbings
Location
Sumoto, Awaji Island, Hyōgo Prefecture
Perpetrator
Tatsuhiko Hirano
Deaths
5
Notes
Tatsuhiko Hirano stabs to death five neighbors with a knife in two separate homes in Sumoto, Awaji Island
Kawasaki building fire
Kawasaki building fire
Date
17 May 2015
Name
Kawasaki building fire
Location
Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture
Perpetrator
Unknown
Deaths
11
Notes
11 people died and 17 were seriously injured in an arson attack on 2 buildings
Kumagaya Murders
Kumagaya Murders
Date
14 - 16 September 2015
Name
Kumagaya Murders
Location
Kumagaya, Saitama
Perpetrator
Vayron Jonathan Nakada Ludeña
Deaths
6
Notes
Vayron Jonathan Nakada Ludeña brother of Peruvian serial killer Pedro Pablo Nakada Ludeña kills 6 people by stabbing in a three-day murder spree
Sagamihara stabbings
Sagamihara stabbings
Date
26 July 2016
Name
Sagamihara stabbings
Location
Sagamihara
Perpetrator
Satoshi Uematsu
Deaths
19
Notes
26 injured
Ogori murders
Ogori murders
Date
5 - 6 June 2017
Name
Ogori murders
Location
Ogori, Fukuoka
Perpetrator
Mitsuru Nakata
Deaths
3
Notes
A Former police officer Mitsuru Nakata kills his wife and two children
Komatsu family murder
Komatsu family murder
Date
6 October 2017
Name
Komatsu family murder
Location
Hitachi, Ibaraki
Perpetrator
Hirobumi Komatsu
Deaths
6
Notes
Hirobumi Komatsu killed his wife and five children by stabbing, he then set the bodies on fire.
Hioki murders
Hioki murders
Date
31 March - 1 April 2018
Name
Hioki murders
Location
Hioki, Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyushu
Perpetrator
Tomohiro Iwakura
Deaths
5
Notes
Tomohiro Iwakura Kills Four Members of His Family and a Neighbor by Strangulation
Takachiho Murders
Takachiho Murders
Date
25 - 26 November 2018
Name
Takachiho Murders
Location
Takachiho, Nishiusuki District, Miyazaki Prefecture
Perpetrator
Masahiro lihoshi
Deaths
7 (including the perpetrator)
Notes
Masahiro lihoshi stabs his family and friend to death before committing suicide by jumping from a bridge
Kawasaki stabbings
Kawasaki stabbings
Date
28 May 2019
Name
Kawasaki stabbings
Location
Tama ward of Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture
Perpetrator
Ryuichi Iwasaki
Deaths
3 (including the perpetrator)
Notes
18 injured
Kyoto Animation arson attack
Kyoto Animation arson attack
Date
18 July 2019
Name
Kyoto Animation arson attack
Location
Kyoto
Perpetrator
Shinji Aoba
Deaths
36
Notes
33 injured
Takarazuka killings
Takarazuka killings
Date
4 June 2020
Name
Takarazuka killings
Location
Takarazuka, Hyōgo
Perpetrator
Hideaki Nozu
Deaths
3
Notes
Hideaki Nozu kills three members of his family with arrows.
Osaka building fire
Osaka building fire
Date
17 December 2021
Name
Osaka building fire
Location
Osaka
Perpetrator
Morio Tanimoto (suspect)
Deaths
27 (including the perpetrator)
Notes
27 people are killed and 1 are injured during an arson attack at a medical clinic in Osaka
Nagano Attack
Nagano Attack
Date
25 May 2023
Name
Nagano Attack
Location
Nagano
Perpetrator
Masanori Aoki
Deaths
4
Notes
Attacker stabbed 2 women dead, then shot 2 responding police officers.
| Date | Name | Location | Perpetrator | Deaths | Notes |
| 30 June 1966 | Hakamada Incident | Shimizu, Shizuoka | Unknown | 4 | False verdict suspected |
| 30 August 1974 | Mitsubishi bombing | Tokyo | East Asia Anti-Japan Armed Front | 8 | Powerful bomb explodes at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries headquarters in Marunouchi. Eight killed, 378 injured. Eight left-wing activists are arrested May 19, 1975, by Japanese authorities. |
| 6 November 1975 | 1975 Aki shooting | Aki, Kōchi Prefecture | Ikuya Hatakeyama | 6 | 31-year-old Ikuya Hatakeyama shoots eight of his neighbours with a 12-gauge shotgun, killing six and critically injuring two |
| 26 - 28 January 1979 | Mitsubishi Bank hostage incident | Mitsubishi Bank, Sumiyoshi-ku, Osaka | Akiyoshi Umekawa | 5 (including the perpetrator) | Akiyoshi Umekawa shot dead four people in a Mitsubishi Bank |
| 31 January 1980 | Nigishima murders | Nigishima, Kumano, Mie Prefecture | Kazumichi Ikeda | 8 (including the perpetrator) | Farmer Kazumichi Ikeda kills seven members of his family and injures 3 with an ax and a shotgun before killing himself |
| 19 August 1980 | Shinjuku bus attack | Shinjuku, Tokyo | Maruyama Hirobumi | 6 | A mentally disturbed man Maruyama Hirobumi throws a bucket of petrol and a lit newspaper into a bus. The ensuing fire killed 6 and injured 14. |
| 9 February 1982 | Japan Air Lines Flight 350 | Haneda Airport, Tokyo | Seiji Katagiri | 24 | Flight 350 was on approach to Haneda Airport when the pilot Seiji Katagiri deliberately nose-dived the plane to crash it. The pilot was then subdued by other flight crews, yet the plane remained descending. It then crashed into Tokyo Bay. The pilot who deliberately nose-dived the plane was suffering from mental illness before the incident |
| 9 August 1989 | Taneichi murders | Taneichi, Iwate | Hidetake Kakuchiyama | 5 | Hidetake Kakuchiyama, a former fishing crew member, murders his wife and 4 children over a divorce dispute in Taneichi, Iwate |
| 5 November 1989 | Sakamoto family murder | Isogo-ku, Yokohama | Aum Shinrikyo | 3 | Tsutsumi Sakamoto, a lawyer working on a lawsuit against the cult Aum Shinrikyo, was kidnapped and murdered by members of the cult along with his wife and 14-month-old son |
| 5 - 6 March 1992 | Ichikawa Family Murder Case | Ichikawa, Chiba Prefecture | Teruhiko Seki | 4 | Robbery-murder of 4 members of an executive's family by Teruhiko Seki |
| 27–28 June 1994 | Matsumoto incident | Matsumoto | Aum Shinrikyo | 8 | Members of the Aum Shinrikyo doomsday cult released sarin gas near the homes of several judges who presiding over legal cases involving the cult. 500+ injured |
| 20 March 1995 | Tokyo subway sarin attack | Tokyo | Aum Shinrikyo | 13 | 6,252 injured |
| 25 July 1998 | Wakayama arsenic poison case | Sonobe district of Wakayama, Wakayama | Masumi Hayashi | 4 | Four people are killed and 63 injured after eating curry laced with arsenic at a community festival in Wakayama. Masumi Hayashi, the chief suspect, has been sentenced to death and is currently appealing. |
| 8 September 1999 | Ikebukuro massacre | Tokyo | Hiroshi Zota | 2 | 6 injured |
| 29 September 1999 | Shimonoseki Station massacre | Shimonoseki | Yasuaki Uwabe | 5 | Yasuaki Uwabe, a former architect, drove a rented car into Shimonoseki Station and hit at least 7 people, two of whom died before the car got stuck. He then proceeded to stab pedestrians at random with a kitchen knife, injuring 4 and killing a further 3. Uwabe was eventually apprehended by a station worker and was arrested shortly after. Uwabe was executed in 2012. |
| 30 December 2000 | Setagaya family murder | Setagaya | Unknown | 4 | A Family of four are murdered at their home in suburban Tokyo by an unknown intruder, the case remains unsolved. |
| 8 May 2001 | Takefuji Hirosaki branch arson murder case | Hirosaki, Aomori prefecture | Mitsuhiro Kobayashi | 5 | A Former taxi driver Mitsuhiro Kobayash kills 5 employees and hurts 4 during a robbery followed by arson at a Takefuji Corp branch in Hirosaki. |
| 8 June 2001 | Ikeda school massacre | Ikeda | Mamoru Takuma | 8 | 37-year-old former janitor Mamoru Takuma entered an elementary school in Osaka, then used a kitchen knife to kill 8 students. He wounded an additional 13 other students and 2 teachers |
| 1 September 2001 | Myojo 56 building fire | Shinjuku | Unknown | 44 | Perpetrator never caught. |
| 20 June 2003 | Fukuoka family murder case | Higashi-ku, Fukuoka | Wei Wei, Yang Ning and Wang Liang | 4 | Businessman Shinjiro Matsumoto, his wife Chika and two children aged 11 and 8 are murdered in a robbery by three Chinese students who broke into their home and dumped their bodies in Hakata Bay. Two of the three - Yang Ning and Wang Liang – fled to China where they were arrested. Yang was executed and Wang sentenced to life imprisonment. The third, Wei Wei, was arrested in Japan and was held on death row until finally executed in December 2019. |
| 18 - 20 September 2004 | Ōmuta murders | Omuta, Fukuoka | Kitamura-gumi | 4 | Mob wife Mami Kitamura murders four people with her husband and two sons. |
| 19 - 23 March 2008 | Tsuchiura massacre | Tsuchiura, Ibaraki | Masahiro Kanagawa | 2 | 7 injured |
| 8 June 2008 | Akihabara massacre | Chiyoda | Tomohiro Katō | 7 | 10 injured |
| 1 October 2008 | Osaka movie theater fire | Osaka | Kazuhiro Ogawa | 16 | |
| 12 January 2010 | 2010 Habikino shooting | Iichan bar, Habikino, Osaka Prefecture | Yasuhisa Sugiura | 4 (including the perpetrator) | |
| 14 March 2013 | Etajima stabbings | Etajima, Hiroshima | Chen Shuangxi | 2 | 6 Wounded |
| 21 – 22 July 2013 | Yamaguchi arson and murders | Mitake | Kosei Homi | 5 | |
| 9 March 2015 | Sumoto stabbings | Sumoto, Awaji Island, Hyōgo Prefecture | Tatsuhiko Hirano | 5 | Tatsuhiko Hirano stabs to death five neighbors with a knife in two separate homes in Sumoto, Awaji Island |
| 17 May 2015 | Kawasaki building fire | Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture | Unknown | 11 | 11 people died and 17 were seriously injured in an arson attack on 2 buildings |
| 14 - 16 September 2015 | Kumagaya Murders | Kumagaya, Saitama | Vayron Jonathan Nakada Ludeña | 6 | Vayron Jonathan Nakada Ludeña brother of Peruvian serial killer Pedro Pablo Nakada Ludeña kills 6 people by stabbing in a three-day murder spree |
| 26 July 2016 | Sagamihara stabbings | Sagamihara | Satoshi Uematsu | 19 | 26 injured |
| 5 - 6 June 2017 | Ogori murders | Ogori, Fukuoka | Mitsuru Nakata | 3 | A Former police officer Mitsuru Nakata kills his wife and two children |
| 6 October 2017 | Komatsu family murder | Hitachi, Ibaraki | Hirobumi Komatsu | 6 | Hirobumi Komatsu killed his wife and five children by stabbing, he then set the bodies on fire. |
| 31 March - 1 April 2018 | Hioki murders | Hioki, Kagoshima Prefecture, Kyushu | Tomohiro Iwakura | 5 | Tomohiro Iwakura Kills Four Members of His Family and a Neighbor by Strangulation |
| 25 - 26 November 2018 | Takachiho Murders | Takachiho, Nishiusuki District, Miyazaki Prefecture | Masahiro lihoshi | 7 (including the perpetrator) | Masahiro lihoshi stabs his family and friend to death before committing suicide by jumping from a bridge |
| 28 May 2019 | Kawasaki stabbings | Tama ward of Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture | Ryuichi Iwasaki | 3 (including the perpetrator) | 18 injured |
| 18 July 2019 | Kyoto Animation arson attack | Kyoto | Shinji Aoba | 36 | 33 injured |
| 4 June 2020 | Takarazuka killings | Takarazuka, Hyōgo | Hideaki Nozu | 3 | Hideaki Nozu kills three members of his family with arrows. |
| 17 December 2021 | Osaka building fire | Osaka | Morio Tanimoto (suspect) | 27 (including the perpetrator) | 27 people are killed and 1 are injured during an arson attack at a medical clinic in Osaka |
| 25 May 2023 | Nagano Attack | Nagano | Masanori Aoki | 4 | Attacker stabbed 2 women dead, then shot 2 responding police officers. |
References
- CTV Newshttps://www.ctvnews.ca/world/kyoto-animation-studio-arson-fire-suspect-reportedly-had-grudge-1.4515205?cache=yes%3FclipId%3D104069%3FautoPlay%3Dtrue
- The Japan Timeshttps://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/12/21/national/crime-legal/osaka-arson-kyoani-copycat/
- bushoojapan.comhttps://bushoojapan.com/bushoo/tokugawa/2025/03/26/103603
- Yahoo! Newshttps://news.yahoo.co.jp/expert/articles/6a8441ca6a7d93082fb85e7307472f46be2abd7c
- The Japan Timeshttps://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/02/19/national/history/makes-good-priest-good-looks-knack-violence/
- Yahoo! Newshttps://news.yahoo.co.jp/expert/articles/be05d1da7979a638c9d3fa9c5ad0e0018108c662
- time-trails.comhttps://time-trails.com/1745/
- The chronicle of Lord Nobunagahttps://search.worldcat.org/oclc/743693801
- www.synchronous.jphttps://www.synchronous.jp/articles/-/137
- Yahoo! Newshttps://news.yahoo.co.jp/expert/articles/ea4844acf5c472081a96d0349085260945b0bf5d
- kusanomido.comhttps://kusanomido.com/study/history/japan/azuchi/27983/
- Sankei Shimbunhttps://www.sankei.com/article/20210405-J6KIPYHMZVP3BO32JMNKA66O4A/
- Yahoo! Newshttps://news.yahoo.co.jp/expert/articles/42b03879a2ba74fcc5b5bf421958e7bbb9bb3136
- intojapanwaraku.comhttps://intojapanwaraku.com/rock/culture-rock/91795/
- Sankei Shimbunhttps://www.sankei.com/article/20130720-GCPDFSGBXFN67GX4MY26ZXMYY4/
- The Nikkeihttps://www.nikkei.com/article/DGKKZO91353550U5A900C1BE0P00/
- East Asia : a cultural, social, and political historyhttps://search.worldcat.org/oclc/811729581
- A New Modern History of East Asiahttps://books.google.com/books?id=pZlBDwAAQBAJ&q=Gando+Massacre&pg=PA196
- The Origins of the Korean Community in Japan, 1910-1923https://books.google.com/books?id=LcpRAQAAIAAJ&q=Shinano
- Choson Sinbohttps://chosonsinbo.com/jp/2022/12/hj4/
- vergil.hateblo.jphttps://vergil.hateblo.jp/entry/2023/09/27/213945
- Malaya Tribunehttps://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/maltribune19280601-1.2.35
- The Straits Timeshttps://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/digitised/article/straitstimes19280525-1.2.37
- NHKhttps://www3.nhk.or.jp/lnews/okinawa/20250614/5090031817.html
- The Star-Phoenixhttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3bxjAAAAIBAJ&sjid=jnoNAAAAIBAJ&pg=3828,4841317&dq=
- Telegraph-Heraldhttps://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QulFAAAAIBAJ&sjid=XwUNAAAAIBAJ&pg=3010,12307&dq=
- wondia.nethttps://wondia.net/kumanojiken
- The Japan Timeshttps://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2014/01/25/tv/a-double-dose-of-fumiyo-kohinata-arson-attack-survivor-featured-on-nhk-special-cm-of-the-week-ajinomoto/#.W9MarntKjIU
- SPA!https://nikkan-spa.jp/1217044
- www.saiban.orghttps://www.saiban.org/p1.html
- www.cythere-critique.comhttps://www.cythere-critique.com/slocombe_corretto.pdf
- Mainichi Shimbunhttps://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20171219/p2a/00m/0na/002000c
- Yahoo! Newshttps://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/a29461323cd96141aedf70192a943a81723d112e
- www.start.umd.eduhttps://www.start.umd.edu/gtd/search/IncidentSummary.aspx?gtdid=199406270007
- "Courts ignore reasonable doubt: lawyers"https://web.archive.org/web/20081025063710/http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20061116f1.html
- The Japan Timeshttps://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/1999/12/22/news/ikebukuro-killer-insane-lawyers-say/
- "LEAD: High court upholds death sentence for street killer. - Free Online Library"https://www.thefreelibrary.com/LEAD%3A+High+court+upholds+death+sentence+for+street+killer.-a0108553697
- Shūkan Bunshunhttps://bunshun.jp/articles/-/41317?page=4
- The Japan Timeshttps://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/08/29/national/crime-legal/two-inmates-hanged-10th-11th-executions-since-abe-took-office/
- Pittsburgh Tribune-Reviewhttps://archive.triblive.com/news/psychic-helps-police-pursue-killers/
- wondia.nethttps://wondia.net/kobayashi-mitsuhiro
- BBC Newshttps://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7310232.stm
- guardians7.comhttps://guardians7.com/tutiura-tourima/
- Factbox: Recent mass killings in Japan Reuters, July 18, 2019. Retrieved December 26, 2021https://www.reuters.com/article/us-japan-fire-masskilling-factbox-idUSKCN1UD1UN
- Fire at Japanese Adult Video Theater Kills 15 Fox News, January 13, 2015. Retrieved December 26, 2021https://www.foxnews.com/story/fire-at-japanese-adult-video-theater-kills-15
- Suicide was motive in Osaka arson Japan Times, October 5, 2008. Retrieved December 26, 2021https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2008/10/05/national/suicide-was-motive-in-osaka-arson/
- BBC Newshttps://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-31792312
- Mainichi Shimbunhttps://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20170322/p2a/00m/0na/009000c
- Mainichi Shimbunhttps://web.archive.org/web/20200128153617/https://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20200127/p2g/00m/0na/061000c
- Mainichi Shimbunhttps://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20160202/p2a/00m/0na/010000c
- The Independenthttps://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/apostle-of-death-serial-killer-s-brother-arrested-over-six-killings-in-japan-10507076.html
- Kyodo Newshttps://english.kyodonews.net/news/2019/12/fa307330f532-peruvian-mans-death-sentence-reduced-to-life-in-2015-murder-case.html?phrase=hanyu&words=
- The Asahi Shimbunhttps://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/13055726
- "Ibaraki man gets death sentence over murders of wife, 5 children | the Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis"https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/14385072
- The Japan Timeshttps://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2020/12/11/national/crime-legal/man-given-death-sentence-2018-murders-five-kagoshima/
- Yahoo! Newshttps://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/61cea7c02b5a27c1be5e10db67790f01c8587b71
- South China Morning Posthttps://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/2175485/new-details-emerge-grisly-japanese-murder-case-saw-six-killed
- TV Asahihttps://www.asahi.com/articles/ASM7S4T8HM7STNAB00R.html
- CNNhttps://edition.cnn.com/2018/11/27/asia/japan-miyazaki-multiple-deaths-intl/index.html
- Mainichi Shimbunhttps://mainichi.jp/english/articles/20181128/p2a/00m/0na/027000c
- japantoday.comhttps://japantoday.com/category/crime/death-toll-from-arson-attack-on-kyoto-animation-studio-rises-to-36
- Kyodo Newshttps://english.kyodonews.net/news/2020/06/934a77a8bbab-student-arrested-over-crossbow-killings-of-2-women.html
- Yomiuri Shimbun Onlinehttps://www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/20221106-OYT1T50097/
- "Suspect arrested after shooting and stabbing attack in Japan leaves four dead"https://edition.cnn.com/2023/05/25/asia/nakano-shooting-central-japan-intl-hnk/index.html