SoraNews24 —Japan News—

Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.

RocketNews24 Japanese

Featured

Hyogo man arrested for stealing 13 tiny fish valued at 52,000 yen

More medaka mischief.

On 15 April, Hyogo Prefectural Police arrested a 57-year-old Tatsuno City resident for stealing 13 fish from a local dealer. Upon hearing this news, you might be thinking “Oh great! That awful man you reported about two weeks ago was finally caught.”

Sadly, no. This is actually a completely different theft that occurred nearly 500 kilometers away from the one we previously reported on. The only similarity was the target: Japanese rice fish, commonly called “medaka” in Japan.

These fish are said to be easy to care for and breed, making them popular pets. As such, people all over Japan get into selling them, although many don’t take it terribly seriously by the looks of things. A good number of medaka dealers in rural areas just leave them out in the open and rely on the honor system when it comes to payment.

▼ There’s a whole YouTube channel that goes all over the country and chronicles these unmanned roadside fish stands and the many different ways they operate.

For the most part, the medaka for sale at these stands usually go for 500 to 1,000 yen (US$4.60 – $9.20) a bucket, but the fish at the victimized stand were of the “rinka” variety, a breed known for their shiny heads which can fetch a relatively high price of 4,000 yen ($37) each.

▼ A video of a law-abiding citizen buying rinka medaka

The suspect, Kazuhiko Mitsuoka, is accused of plucking 13 rinka medaka from an unmanned stand at approximately 10 a.m. on 30 March. The owner noticed the missing animals and reported it to police, who used security camera footage to track down Mitsuoka and arrest him.

Authorities seized two aquariums containing the 13 medaka, valued at 52,000 yen ($477). Some fish are believed to have been injured, but the tank they were held in was so covered in algae that it was difficult to examine them properly.

Mitsuoka reportedly admitted to the crime while in custody, bringing this case to a close. But we must remind you that the suspect who made off with 300 medaka in a daring midnight raid of the House of Medaka is still at large.

At the risk of making a nautical pun, it appears that Japan is experiencing a wave of these tiny fish thefts. Hopefully, law enforcement can keep making examples out of these small-fry crooks and protect the time-honored tradition of leaving valuable goods unattended and out in the open.

Source: Asahi Shimbun Digital,  Kobe Shimbun Next
Top image: YouTube/楽めだか【rakumedaka】aquarium ch
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Like this:

Like Loading…

Related Stories

Trackbacks

  1. There are no trackbacks yet.
  2. Trackback URL

Trending Today

  1. The Japanese city where ordering grilled chicken doesn’t guarantee you’ll actually get chicken
  2. Japanese airlines set to cut fuel surcharges for international flights in September and October
  3. Studio Ghibli adds new Jiji’s baby plush toy to its anime merchandise range in Japan
  4. Delta Airlines adds first nonstop flight between Japan’s Narita Airport and U.S. in seven years
  5. Hello Kitty x Godzilla Happy Meals are coming to McDonald’s, but not in Japan [Video]
  6. Beautiful off-the-beaten-path spot near samurai castle in rural Japan looks like a Monet painting
  7. Tokyo sweets store has a “350% Pudding Soft Serve”, and people are going wild for it
  8. Japanese figure skating star Yuzuru Hanyu and Winne-the-Pooh announce crossover merch line [Pics]
  9. This beautiful Okinawa beach gives you the best of both worlds when visiting the prefecture [Pics]
  10. Wagyu ramen for foreign tourists appears in Kabukicho, with a very high price tag

© SoraNews24 —Japan News— / SOCIO CORPORATION

Powered by WordPress VIP

%d