Japan police rearrest school worker over alleged killing of hamsters in love hotel

Japanese police arrested a 36-year-old school employee for the second time on Monday after he allegedly killed around 30 hamsters in a "love hotel" in late March, authorities said. The man, identified as Motoki Kimura, works at Miyako Fisheries High School in the northern prefecture of Iwate, according to police.

Kimura was detained alongside a 20-year-old woman in connection with the March incident, which took place in Takizawa. Police said the pair met in the short-stay hotel, where Kimura stomped the animals to death while recording the acts on his smartphone. Investigators also found text messages between Kimura and the woman planning the killings, including one in which he asked, “Where should we go to kill the hamsters and have fun?” according to Hiroyuki Nasu, a police official in Miyako .

This marks Kimura’s second arrest for similar offenses. In July, he was first detained for allegedly killing approximately 20 hamsters in February, also in a love hotel, with the help of a 19-year-old woman. Police confiscated his phone during the initial investigation, discovering videos of the killings and messages indicating prior coordination. Both women involved in the separate cases have also been arrested, authorities said .

The arrests stem from violations of Japan’s animal welfare laws. Police in Miyako confirmed they are expanding their probe to determine whether Kimura committed additional offenses. The latest arrest on Aug. 31 follows the discovery of further evidence linking him to the March killings, including the recovered footage and digital communications .

Authorities have not disclosed the source of the hamsters or how they were obtained. The investigations remain ongoing, with police examining whether other individuals were involved in the alleged crimes .