Man Nabbed after 77 Rabbits Found Dead in Western Japan Isle
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Hiroshima, Jan. 23 (Jiji Press)--Japanese police have arrested a man for allegedly kicking a rabbit in violation of the animal protection law in Okunoshima Island in the city of Takehara in the western prefecture of Hiroshima.
In Okunoshima, well known for being inhabited by many rabbits, 77 of the creatures were found dead between Nov. 26 and Jan. 12, according to the Environment Ministry’s regional office that administers Setonaikai National Park, consisting of areas in the Seto Inland Sea, where the island is located.
The suspect, a 25-year-old corporate worker from Otsu, the capital of the western prefecture of Shiga, is alleged to have kicked a rabbit on a promenade in the island around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. He was caught by a witness, and a bystander called police, according to the Hiroshima prefectural police department. The kicked rabbit died.
The man admitted the charge, saying, “I wondered how a rabbit would react if I bullied it.” He also said he did harm to other rabbits.
Takehara Police Station of the prefectural police department has been investigating possible links between the incident and the deaths of the 77 rabbits.
[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]