Former serviceman admits trespassing at Chinese Embassy in Tokyo — The Japan Times

In Tokyo, former Japan Ground Self-Defense Force member Kodai Murata admitted to unlawfully entering the grounds of the Chinese Embassy. This occurred during the first hearing in his case at the Tokyo District Court, The Japan Times reports.

Case circumstances

According to the indictment, 24-year-old Murata entered the diplomatic mission's grounds on March 24 while carrying a kitchen knife with an 18-centimeter blade. The publication notes that the former second lieutenant handed embassy staff a note containing threats.

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At the hearing, Murata stated that he considered the Chinese government's diplomatic position excessively harsh and in need of correction. According to him, he decided to enter the embassy grounds after a dream in which a deity allegedly told him that China was underestimating Japan and called on him to oppose this.

Defense position

Murata's defense plans to contest the threats charge. At the time of the incident, he was serving at the Ebino camp of the Ground Self-Defense Force in Miyazaki Prefecture in southwestern Japan. He was dismissed on disciplinary grounds in August.