A full two days after the story broke, The New York Times, reputedly one of the world's leading broadsheets, has covered the killing of Nagasaki mayor Itcho Ito.

Nevertheless, they have unearthed Hirozumi Chiyoda, a spokesman for the Nagasaki prefecture police. No other journalist so far has been able to locate such an individual.

Chiyoda "would not comment on a possible motive", writes Martin Fackler. Fackler also writes that "local news media reports have quoted unnamed police officials as saying Mr. Shiroo had confessed to the shooting".

Jesus! The man was tackled to the ground with a loaded gun in his hand immediately after the shooting. This is how Japan operates? All these "unnamed officials" covering their asses while their spokesman refuses to comment on a motive...

"Hirotami Yamada, secretary general of the Nagasaki Council of A-bomb Sufferers, which opposes nuclear weapons" said “My honest belief is that crime happened because Mayor Ito probably went too far in his peace activism.”

“Why would someone who is near 60 do something like this because of a mere 100,000 yen?”

Then the clincher:

Some in Japan fear that political violence, aimed at silencing opponents of the right, may be increasing here.