The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department detained Akira Watanabe, a 54 years old male office worker, for sending 12 death threats to Sega. Throughout January and February, Watanabe wrote emails from his cell phone to Sega Sammy Holdings’ query address, threatening to light a fire to the firm and murder staff.
Watanabe allegedly used his mobile phone to send emails to Sega’s company contact form. The suspect was arrested for business obstruction and confessed to sending the emails, saying he had lost in an online game and was furious. The game has not been revealed by local Japanese media.
Watanabe admitted in questioning that he did so because he was upset because he was defeated in a computer game. Due to the threats, Sega held emergency conferences and increased security.
Threats to set Sega on fire are reminiscent of the Kyoto Animation disaster, which killed 36 people in an attack that rocked the nation and the world, as per the Anime News Network site.
Similar Death Threat Incidents
There have been numerous incidences in recent years of persons being arrested for making similar threats. In September 2019, for example, the Tokyo-based game business Akira received threats via its online contact form, implying murder.
It took a year to find the possible perpetrator. On October 5, 2021, a guilty judgment was ultimately handed down after a court case.
A high school kid was detained in 2020 for reportedly threatening to blow up Konami and kill corporate employees. The suspect, who admitted to posting the threats, was unhappy because he had a connection problem with an online game, which caused him to lose.
A 21-year-old college senior was detained last year after reportedly threatening to release toxic gas at an arcade. He appeared to be furious after losing at a crane game.
Following the tragedy at Kyoto Animation, game businesses and Japanese authorities have demonstrated zero tolerance for such threats—and for good reason. They are utterly unacceptable and will never be tolerated, according to the report of Yahoo News site.
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