[Series of Suspicious Fires in Adachi Ward] “A Middle-Aged Man with Pink Hair”: A 58-Year-Old Suspect’s “History of Playing with Fire,” According to Neighbors

Six Suspicious Fires Within a 75-Meter Radius

From late August through early September, a series of six suspicious fires occurred within a 75-meter radius in Adachi Ward, Tokyo. The man arrested as the suspect in these fires—which terrorized nearby residents—was a man with pink-dyed hair who lived in the immediate vicinity.

The series of suspicious fires began on the night of August 24, when two posters were set ablaze in quick succession.About 10 days later, in the early hours of September 3, a fire was set in a storage shed. On that occasion, a man living nearby noticed the fire because “it was bright outside in the middle of the night.” He called 119, and at the same time, neighbors began extinguishing the flames by pouring water from buckets and basins.

Furthermore, between the early hours of the morning and early morning of the 4th, a vending machine and a bicycle cover were set on fire, and a two-story wooden house was also set ablaze. An 81-year-old woman living alone in that house suffered burns to her face and was transported to the hospital. The situation had finally escalated to the point where someone was injured.

That same night, Kenichi Tsuchida (58) was arrested by the Ayase Police Station of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department on suspicion of arson of an occupied building. Based on witness testimony and security camera footage, he was believed to be involved in the series of suspicious fires.

Around 8:00 a.m. on September 6, suspect Tsuchida appeared at the Ayase Police Station’s escort entrance. He glanced briefly at the gathered press before boarding the escort vehicle without changing his expression.

So who exactly is the arrested suspect, Tsuchida? It appears he was born and raised near the crime scene in Adachi Ward. A woman who has known him since childhood recalls, “He was the youngest of three brothers.”

“Ken-bo (Suspect Tsuchida) was a quiet child when he was little. But you know, when he was in first grade or around that age, he used to play by setting fire to trash around the neighborhood. So the ladies in the neighborhood would often warn him, ‘Ken-chan, if you keep playing with fire like that, it’ll be a big problem if a fire breaks out.’ Of course, he stopped doing that by the time he reached the upper grades.”

He had been arrested before

After that, suspect Tsuchida reportedly worked in Aichi Prefecture and started a family. The woman mentioned earlier continues:

“When (Suspect Tsuchida’s) mother passed away, he came back home for the first time in a long while. At that time, he was with his two children and his wife, who was visibly pregnant. I told him, ‘Ken-bo, you’ve really grown up,’ since he was about to become a father of three.

But in the end, he committed a crime over there (in Aichi), got divorced, and came back, didn’t he? Since he returned, he’s been living with his older son, but I have no idea what kind of life they’re leading. About three years ago, some laundry fell off the clothesline and got covered in mud—and it’s still lying there to this day.”

The “incident” refers to the case in March 2022, when he was arrested in Aichi Prefecture on charges of property damage after setting fire to a materials storage area and plastic greenhouses with a lighter. At the time, suspect Tsuchida reportedly stated, “I was angry at my wife’s LINE messages, and in a fit of frustration, I set the fire.”

What kind of life has he been leading since returning to his parents’ home about four years ago? A woman living in another part of the neighborhood told me this:

“He used to wander around that area a lot. I heard he was having meals with someone who seemed to be his boss at a Chinese restaurant right nearby, so I assume he was working at something, but he’d often be wandering around in the mornings or evenings.

What worried me was his smoking. He’d walk while smoking, but he’d just toss the lit cigarette on the ground. I was scared, thinking, ‘What if that caused a fire?’”

According to this woman, he had only recently dyed his hair pink.

“When I saw him, it was orange. Plus, it wasn’t dyed very well, so I even talked with my neighbors about why he’d chosen such a color. Before that, he looked like a perfectly ordinary middle-aged man with some gray hair.”

Suspect Tsuchida has been interested in “playing with fire” since childhood and was arrested for arson four years ago.

During police questioning, he reportedly denied the charges, stating, “I have absolutely no recollection of this. I was just out for a walk by myself.” Given his past behavior, it’s hard not to think he’s the one responsible… but what is the truth?

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