Man arrested for allegedly shining laser beam at U.S. Aircraft

May 22, 2019

Tokyo--Tokyo police have arrested a 60-year-old man for allegedly pointing a laser beam at U.S. military aircraft stationed at Yokota Air Base in Fussa, western Tokyo, it was learned Wednesday.

The Metropolitan Police Department suspects that Yoshinori Shigekawa from Akiruno, western Tokyo, shone green laser beam at a flying U.S. military transport plane from the parking lot of a shopping facility in Fussa on Feb. 11. He is being held on suspicion of forcible obstruction of business, as the laser beam forced the U.S. plane to abort a flight drill.

Shigekawa has admitted the allegation, saying that he "has been shining (laser beams) since three years ago."

The MPD identified the suspect after reviewing security camera footage following reports filed by the U.S. forces.

About 40 cases of U.S. military aircraft being struck by laser beams have been confirmed near the Yokota base since March last year. Shigekawa is believed to have been involved in about a dozen of the incidents.

The police are looking into the suspect's motives. Jiji Press