Man Sets Fire Claiming Exorcism on New Year’s Eve, Endangers Neighbors

The room was flooded from the water used to extinguish the fire

On New Year’s Day evening, the incident occurred in a housing complex where many families were likely enjoying time together.

On January 1, Chiba Higashi Police arrested suspect Midori Ito (33), who claims to be a part-time employee, on suspicion of arson of an inhabited building. Ito lives in a housing complex in Mitsuwadai, Wakaba Ward, Chiba, and allegedly set fire to his own room around 6 p.m., where he lived with his 66-year-old mother.

“Around 5:40 p.m., we received a 119 call from a woman saying, ‘My son is rampaging and attacking me.’ A police officer who was investigating another case saw smoke and rushed over, discovering that a fire had broken out in a fourth-floor unit of the five-story building. About two hours later, Ito was found within the complex. Upon questioning, he reportedly admitted, ‘I set the house on fire,’ leading to his emergency arrest on suspicion of arson of an inhabited building.

Ito has confessed during questioning, saying, ‘There’s no doubt I set it on fire and burned it.’ Regarding his motive, he reportedly stated, ‘I wanted to perform an exorcism because someone was entering my home.’” (National newspaper social affairs reporter)

Thirteen fire trucks and other emergency vehicles rushed to the scene, and the fire was extinguished about five hours later. According to the fire department, the room where the fire originated—about 70㎡—was completely burned, and parts of the balcony and windows of the floor above were also damaged.

Visiting the site, it was clear that the damage extended beyond just the fourth-floor room. The fifth-floor room directly above the origin was charred completely, indicating severe damage. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, but it was quite a misfortune at the start of the new year. Nearby residents expressed their concern:

“Our unit is far from the building where the fire occurred, but on that day, fire trucks, police cars, and so on made an incredible amount of noise.”

“Some residents’ apartments were flooded by the firefighting water, which must have been awful.”

“This housing complex is a condominium. The person who started the fire has lived here a long time—why would they set a fire?”

One local resident also wondered why Ito set fire to his own room. Were spirits really entering his home, as he claimed? Crime journalist Taihei Ogawa analyzed the situation:

“There have been past cases where people set fires to exorcise supposed evil spirits. Usually, the family notices quickly and puts out the fire, so it doesn’t become a major incident. A certain number of these cases involve people with mental health issues.

However, it’s also possible the suspect is making excuses, so proper verification is necessary. It’s important to ask whether there were prior statements about something intruding or abnormal behavior. Even people who usually communicate normally may show strange behavior under certain conditions. If you live with them, you would notice. Families will likely be questioned to verify this.”

As the investigation progresses, the truth of the incident may become clear. However, for the people whose New Year’s celebrations were ruined, frustration and anger are inevitable.

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