Tokyo police say a South Korean man arrested in connection with an apparent explosion at Yasukuni Shrine was carrying a bag of gunpowder with him when he re-entered Japan earlier this month.
Police are investigating the November 23rd incident. A small fire, a steel pipe-like object and other items were found in a restroom at the shrine following the sound of a blast.
Jeon Chang-han, 27, was arrested on suspicion of entering the shrine for unlawful intent when he returned to Japan on December 9th. He had left for South Korea shortly after the incident.
Police say he had about 1.8 kilograms of black gunpowder in his backpack when he re-entered Japan. They say investigators also detected black powder in the device found in the restroom.
Police say Jeon could be charged with violating the explosives control law. They have asked South Korean authorities for cooperation to determine how he obtained the gunpowder.
Police say the suspect admitted to putting some kind of a device in the shrine’s restroom, but that he has changed his story, so they are comparing the evidence to his statements.
NHK WORLD News Dec. 22, 2015
