Tsuyama massacre
Encyclopedia
The was a spree killing that occurred on 21 May 1938 in the rural village of Kaio close to Tsuyama city in Okayama, Japan
.
Mutsuo Toi, a 21-year-old man, killed 30 people, including his grandmother, with a shotgun
, Japanese sword
, and axe, and seriously injured three others before killing himself with the shotgun. Until the 1982 killing by Woo Bum-kon
, this incident was regarded as the world’s worst massacre
by an individual.
, a Japanese sword
and an axe
. This was almost half of the residents of the small community. At dawn he committed suicide by shooting himself in the chest.
to well-off parents. His parents died of tuberculosis
when he was a baby, so he and his sister were brought up by their grandmother. He was originally outgoing, but at the age of 17 he became socially withdrawn (a widespread social phenomenon in Japan known as hikikomori
) after his sister married in 1934.
He was interested in the story of Sada Abe
, the prostitute who, in May 1936, strangled her lover then severed his penis
. He started writing a novel .
He took part in or "night-crawling", which involved creeping into young women's beds during the night to seek sexual intercourse.
From his suicide note
s it appears that after May 1937 when he was diagnosed as suffering from tuberculosis, the young women in the village rejected his sexual advances.
For revenge, he decided to enter their homes and kill them. He waited for the time when the women returned to their houses. The authorities were concerned, and his gun license
was revoked. He however prepared swords and guns secretly.
He regretted that he would not be able to shoot some people he wanted to, as that would have involved killing people he regarded as innocent. He also wrote that he killed his grandmother because he could not bear leaving her alive to face the shame and social stigma that would be associated with a "murderer's grandmother".
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
Mutsuo Toi, a 21-year-old man, killed 30 people, including his grandmother, with a shotgun
Shotgun
A shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
, Japanese sword
Katana
A Japanese sword, or , is one of the traditional bladed weapons of Japan. There are several types of Japanese swords, according to size, field of application and method of manufacture.-Description:...
, and axe, and seriously injured three others before killing himself with the shotgun. Until the 1982 killing by Woo Bum-kon
Woo Bum-Kon
Woo Bum-kon was a South Korean police officer who carried out the second largest known incident of spree killing in modern history. After the rampage concluded, 57 people were dead and 35 were wounded in Gyeongsangnam-do, South Korea.- Life :Woo had served in the South Korean Marines until 1978...
, this incident was regarded as the world’s worst massacre
Massacre
A massacre is an event with a heavy death toll.Massacre may also refer to:-Entertainment:*Massacre , a DC Comics villain*Massacre , a 1932 drama film starring Richard Barthelmess*Massacre, a 1956 Western starring Dane Clark...
by an individual.
Massacre
Mutsuo Toi cut the electricity line to the village of Kaio on the evening of 20 May, which left the community in darkness. At around 1:30 am on 21 May, he killed his 76-year-old grandmother by decapitating her with an axe. Then he strapped two flashlights to his head and prowled through the village entering the homes of his neighbours. He killed 29 neighbours (27 of whom died at the scene of the incident, while two others were fatally wounded, dying of their injuries later) and seriously injured three others in about an hour and half using a Browning shotgunBrowning Auto-5
The Browning Automatic 5, most often Auto-5 or simply A-5, is a recoil-operated semi-automatic shotgun designed by John Browning. It was the first successful semi-automatic shotgun designed and remained in production until 1998...
, a Japanese sword
Katana
A Japanese sword, or , is one of the traditional bladed weapons of Japan. There are several types of Japanese swords, according to size, field of application and method of manufacture.-Description:...
and an axe
Axe
The axe, or ax, is an implement that has been used for millennia to shape, split and cut wood; to harvest timber; as a weapon; and as a ceremonial or heraldic symbol...
. This was almost half of the residents of the small community. At dawn he committed suicide by shooting himself in the chest.
Mutsuo Toi
was born in Okayama PrefectureOkayama Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Okayama.- History :During the Meiji Restoration, the area of Okayama Prefecture was known as Bitchū Province, Bizen Province and Mimasaka Province.- Geography :...
to well-off parents. His parents died of tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
when he was a baby, so he and his sister were brought up by their grandmother. He was originally outgoing, but at the age of 17 he became socially withdrawn (a widespread social phenomenon in Japan known as hikikomori
Hikikomori
is a Japanese term to refer to the phenomenon of reclusive people who have chosen to withdraw from social life, often seeking extreme degrees of isolation and confinement because of various personal and social factors in their lives...
) after his sister married in 1934.
He was interested in the story of Sada Abe
Sada Abe
is remembered in Japan for erotically asphyxiating her lover, , on May 18, 1936, and then cutting off his penis and testicles and carrying them around with her in her handbag...
, the prostitute who, in May 1936, strangled her lover then severed his penis
Penis
The penis is a biological feature of male animals including both vertebrates and invertebrates...
. He started writing a novel .
He took part in or "night-crawling", which involved creeping into young women's beds during the night to seek sexual intercourse.
From his suicide note
Suicide note
A suicide note or death note is a message that states the author has died by suicide, and left to be discovered and read in anticipation of suicide....
s it appears that after May 1937 when he was diagnosed as suffering from tuberculosis, the young women in the village rejected his sexual advances.
Suicide notes
Toi left several long notes which revealed that he was concerned about the social impact of his tuberculosis, which in the 1930s was an incurable fatal illness. He felt that his female neighbours became cold towards him once they knew of his illness, and that he was despised as hypersexual.For revenge, he decided to enter their homes and kill them. He waited for the time when the women returned to their houses. The authorities were concerned, and his gun license
Firearms licence
A firearms licence is a licence or permit issued by some Governments of a country , that allows the licensee to buy, own, possess, and use firearms, often subject to a number of conditions or restrictions, especially with regards to storage requirements or the completion of a firearms...
was revoked. He however prepared swords and guns secretly.
He regretted that he would not be able to shoot some people he wanted to, as that would have involved killing people he regarded as innocent. He also wrote that he killed his grandmother because he could not bear leaving her alive to face the shame and social stigma that would be associated with a "murderer's grandmother".