Murder Among Myanmar Nationals Highlights the Danger of Always-Carried Weapons—A Warning for Japan

Struck the victim on the head with a wine bottle

Under a flurry of camera flashes, the suspect briefly showed a tense expression, but then, as if he had realized everything, stared blankly ahead.

On August 18, Zo Myo Thet (24), a Myanmar national from Shinjuku, Tokyo, was escorted from the Yotsuya Police Station in Shinjuku Ward to the prosecutors’ office in a police vehicle.

“Around midnight on July 7, Zo and three Myanmar friends were drinking at a nightclub in Shinjuku. There, they got into a dispute with a separate group of seven other Myanmar nationals. Both groups left the club, but early in the morning, an altercation broke out on the street involving 11 people. Zo is suspected of striking one member of the seven-person group, Myanmar exchange student Chit Pou (22), on the head with a wine bottle, resulting in his death.

During questioning, Zo admitted to hitting the victim but denied intent to kill. Two of the other three members of his group were also arrested, though they deny the charges,” said a reporter from a national newspaper’s social affairs desk.

A similar incident among Myanmar nationals had occurred just in June. On a street in Noda, Chiba Prefecture, a man believed to be Myanmar was stabbed in the chest and killed. Chiba Prefectural Police arrested a Myanmar man (24 at the time, a self-proclaimed technical intern) on suspicion of murder. The suspect told investigators that the two had been drinking at his home just before the incident and a fight broke out on the street, leading him to stab the victim with a knife. He also denied having intent to kill.

Both incidents involved disputes among Myanmar nationals under the influence of alcohol. Crime journalist and former Kanagawa Prefectural Police detective Taihei Ogawa provided commentary.

Police engagement clearly insufficient

“At drinking parties, it’s common even among Japanese people for fights to break out between different groups. However, in the case of foreigners, incidents often involve weapons such as knives carried for self-defense. In their home countries, carrying such items is nothing unusual.

Even if they understand that carrying weapons is illegal in Japan, within their own communities these rules are often not observed. Moreover, Japanese police have long neglected the task of monitoring or interacting with such foreign communities,” explained a source.

On August 18, another incident occurred in front of JR Nippori Station (Arakawa, Tokyo), where a Vietnamese man was approached by two men, beaten, and had a bag containing 1 million yen stolen.

“The perpetrators have not been caught, but witnesses reported that they spoke a foreign language. In recent years, foreign tourists have increased, and so has the population of foreigners living permanently in Japan. Their communities are growing, and crime within these communities is on the rise. Yet Japanese police, media, and the public have not paid enough attention, so the risks are not being clearly communicated.

For example, fights between foreigners in nightlife districts are definitely increasing. If you encounter such situations, never try to intervene. The likelihood of being caught up in violence, especially with weapons involved, is extremely high. It’s best to leave the scene immediately and contact the police,” the source advised.

It appears that in daily life, there are indeed more points at which people need to exercise caution.