A man has been apprehended in Tokyo on allegations of murdering a pigeon, which he reportedly recorded while mistreating the animal.
Hiroshi Tsuji, a 49-year-old cab driver from Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, supposedly filmed the bird near a river in the Japanese capital sometime between April and June 2024, as reported by local news sources.
He faces accusations of beating and whipping the creature prior to its death, which is said to have occurred between June and August, according to the Japanese news agency Kyodo.
It has been claimed that he terminated the pigeon’s life by severing its head with scissors.
Tsuji reportedly stated to police prior to his arrest that he had “purged the pigeon” because it was “not friendly towards him,” as cited by Japanese authorities, Kyodo reported.
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The suspect is thought to have disseminated several videos depicting animal cruelty on the social media platform X since May 2023.
Authorities had received over 100 reports regarding his conduct, and multiple animal welfare organizations lodged formal complaints.
Previously, he was arrested on January 26 for allegedly providing a false identity while purchasing a small bird at a pet store in November 2024, according to Kyodo.
