Overview

• On July 16, Tokyo police arrested 28-year-old Yuga Matsuoka on suspicion of attempted arson at a go-kart rental site in Koto Ward.
• Matsuoka confessed that stress over the tourist karts’ engine noise prompted him to target an industrial waste container on the premises.
• The resulting fire damaged three go-karts and scorched the exterior of a nearby warehouse before a security guard extinguished the flames.
• Investigators are probing a May incident in which an English-language note threatening to burn parked karts was found on site.
• The go-kart operator, whose fleet of about 70 vehicles is popular with foreign visitors, is assessing damage and tightening security measures.