An overwhelming majority of Japanese said they were "interested in the Olympics", although 58% said they did not want them to be held this year because of fears over COVID-19, a Yomiuri daily poll showed on Wednesday.

In the survey, conducted between Jan. 18 and Feb. 25, when much of the country remained in a coronavirus state of emergency, 30% of the respondents said they were "very interested" in the Summer Games and 40% said they were "somewhat interested", for a combined 70%.

But concerns over the impact on coronavirus infections kept most opposed to holding the event this year, although the 58% in opposition is about 20 percentage points lower than earlier opinion polls.

If the Games were to go ahead as scheduled, 91% of respondents said spectators should be kept to a minimum or not allowed at all, the Yomiuri poll showed.

The Tokyo Olympic Games were postponed last year because of the pandemic and rescheduled to take place this year from July 23.

A survey by global consultancy Kekst CNC published on Wednesday showed similar rates of majority opposition in Japan, at 56%, as well as in Britain and Germany, at 55% and 52% respectively.

In France and Sweden, more people opposed than approved, while in the United States, respondents were split at one-third between those who agreed and disagreed that the Games should go ahead, according to the survey.

While coronavirus infection numbers are low in Japan compared with the United States and many European countries, the greater Tokyo metropolitan area remains in a state of emergency, with restrictions in place for spectator numbers for big sporting and cultural events, as well as closing times for bars and restaurants. The country remains closed to non-resident foreigners.

A Reuters poll published last month showed nearly two-thirds of Japanese companies also oppose holding the Games as planned, swinging from the previous survey showing most in favour.

Japan has so far confirmed 431,250 coronavirus cases and 7,931 deaths as of Monday.

An overwhelming majority of Japanese said they were "interested in the Olympics", although 58% said they did not want them to be held this year because of fears over COVID-19, a Yomiuri daily poll showed on Wednesday.

An overwhelming majority of Japanese said they were "interested in the Olympics", although 58% said they did not want them to be held this year because of fears over COVID-19, a Yomiuri daily poll showed on Wednesday. In the survey, conducted between Jan. 18 and Feb. 25, when much of the country remained in a coronavirus state of emergency, 30% of the respondents said they were "very interested" in the Summer Games and 40% said they were "somewhat interested", for a combined 70%. But concerns over the impact on coronavirus infections kept most opposed to holding the event this year, although the 58% in opposition is about 20 percentage points lower than earlier opinion polls. If the Games were to go ahead as scheduled, 91% of respondents said spectators should be kept to a minimum or not allowed at all, the Yomiuri poll showed. The Tokyo Olympic Games were postponed last year because of the pandemic and rescheduled to take place this year from July 23. A survey by global consultancy Kekst CNC published on Wednesday showed similar rates of majority opposition in Japan, at 56%, as well as in Britain and Germany, at 55% and 52% respectively. In France and Sweden, more people opposed than approved, while in the United States, respondents were split at one-third between those who agreed and disagreed that the Games should go ahead, according to the survey. While coronavirus infection numbers are low in Japan compared with the United States and many European countries, the greater Tokyo metropolitan area remains in a state of emergency, with restrictions in place for spectator numbers for big sporting and cultural events, as well as closing times for bars and restaurants. The country remains closed to non-resident foreigners. A Reuters poll published last month showed nearly two-thirds of Japanese companies also oppose holding the Games as planned, swinging from the previous survey showing most in favour. Japan has so far confirmed 431,250 coronavirus cases and 7,931 deaths as of Monday.

Most in Japan 'interested in Olympics' but don't want them to happen, finds poll

A Japanese man arrested after police found nine dismembered corpses rotting in his house has confessed to killing all his young victims over a two-month spree after contacting them via Twitter, media reports said Wednesday.

Takahiro Shiraishi, 27, has also confessed he &#39;assaulted&#39; all of his eight female victims, the Fuji TV network said, using a Japanese media euphemism for sexual attacks.

Prosecutors were now quizzing Shiraishi, who has reportedly admitted hacking the flesh off the bodies and throwing it out with the trash, then sprinkling cat litter over the remains in an effort to cover up the evidence.

In all, some 240 pieces of bone belonging to nine people, including heads and limbs, were discovered inside coolers and toolboxes at his apartment, the Tokyo Shimbun said.

The grisly case has stunned Japan, which enjoys an extremely low crime rate, and pictures of the nondescript apartment building in a quiet residential area were splashed across the country&#39;s front pages.

&#39;&#39;Killing room.&#39;&#39; splashed the Nikkan Sports tabloid. &#39;&#39;One murder a week.&#39;&#39; wrote the Sports Nippon.

Inside the cooler

Details also began to emerge as to how investigators tracked down the suspected killer and trapped him using the same medium -- Twitter -- he himself used to lure his victims.

Police were led to Shiraishi while investigating the disappearance of a 23-year-old woman, who had reportedly tweeted she wanted to take her own life.

Her brother managed to hack into her Twitter account, noticed a suspicious handle, and then tweeted about his sister&#39;s disappearance, major media said.

One female follower told him that she recognised the handle.

The brother asked her to contact the person, while he also reported the case to police, the Yomiuri daily said.

The woman managed to convince Shiraishi to come to a train station, where investigators awaited and followed him to his house, media say.

Immediately after he returned to his apartment, police knocked on the door and found a white bag belonging to the missing sister, the Yomiuri said.

&#39;When investigators asked the whereabouts of the sister, Shiraishi said &#39;inside the cooler&#39;, pointing at it.&#39; the Yomiuri said.

Foul smell&nbsp;

Shiraishi has reportedly told police that four of his victims were teenagers, four others were around 20 years old and the other was in his or her late 20s. There were eight female victims and one male.

He contacted his prey via Twitter and killed most of them &#39;on the day he met&#39; them, he is reported to have told authorities.

He moved to the flat in Zama, a southwestern suburb of Tokyo, on August 22 and contacted victims by tweeting that he would help their suicide plans, the Mainichi Shimbun daily reported.

Shiraishi told police that he killed his first victim, a female acquaintance, shortly after moving there, and spent three days dismembering her body, the Yomiuri Shimbun said.

He then killed her boyfriend who asked about his missing girlfriend, the Yomiuri said, citing unnamed police sources.

Police for now believe that Shiraishi acted alone, the Tokyo Shimbun said.

But his motives remain unclear, and investigators are questioning whether it&#39;s possible to kill a person nearly every week without neighbours noticing sounds of altercations or screams, the Tokyo Shimbun said.

Neighbours have since reported noticing a foul smell emanating from the flat.

Shiraishi has told investigators that he kept the body parts because he was afraid he might get caught if he discarded them.

For now, he has been charged with improper disposal of one body but police are searching for evidence he killed all nine.

While Japan prides itself on its low crime rate, it is no stranger to high-profile violent crimes.

In Japan&#39;s bloodiest crime for decades, Satoshi Uematsu faces charges of killing 19 people and attempting to kill or injure 24 others at a disability centre near Tokyo in July 2016.

In 1997 a 14-year-old schoolboy decapitated an 11-year-old acquaintance and placed the head at the gates of his school.&nbsp;

Takahiro Shiraishi has confessed that he 'assaulted' all of his eight female victims

A Japanese man arrested after police found nine dismembered corpses rotting in his house has confessed to killing all his young victims over a two-month spree after contacting them via Twitter, media reports said Wednesday. Takahiro Shiraishi, 27, has also confessed he 'assaulted' all of his eight female victims, the Fuji TV network said, using a Japanese media euphemism for sexual attacks. Prosecutors were now quizzing Shiraishi, who has reportedly admitted hacking the flesh off the bodies and throwing it out with the trash, then sprinkling cat litter over the remains in an effort to cover up the evidence. In all, some 240 pieces of bone belonging to nine people, including heads and limbs, were discovered inside coolers and toolboxes at his apartment, the Tokyo Shimbun said. The grisly case has stunned Japan, which enjoys an extremely low crime rate, and pictures of the nondescript apartment building in a quiet residential area were splashed across the country's front pages. ''Killing room.'' splashed the Nikkan Sports tabloid. ''One murder a week.'' wrote the Sports Nippon. Inside the cooler Details also began to emerge as to how investigators tracked down the suspected killer and trapped him using the same medium -- Twitter -- he himself used to lure his victims. Police were led to Shiraishi while investigating the disappearance of a 23-year-old woman, who had reportedly tweeted she wanted to take her own life. Her brother managed to hack into her Twitter account, noticed a suspicious handle, and then tweeted about his sister's disappearance, major media said. One female follower told him that she recognised the handle. The brother asked her to contact the person, while he also reported the case to police, the Yomiuri daily said. The woman managed to convince Shiraishi to come to a train station, where investigators awaited and followed him to his house, media say. Immediately after he returned to his apartment, police knocked on the door and found a white bag belonging to the missing sister, the Yomiuri said. 'When investigators asked the whereabouts of the sister, Shiraishi said 'inside the cooler', pointing at it.' the Yomiuri said. Foul smell Shiraishi has reportedly told police that four of his victims were teenagers, four others were around 20 years old and the other was in his or her late 20s. There were eight female victims and one male. He contacted his prey via Twitter and killed most of them 'on the day he met' them, he is reported to have told authorities. He moved to the flat in Zama, a southwestern suburb of Tokyo, on August 22 and contacted victims by tweeting that he would help their suicide plans, the Mainichi Shimbun daily reported. Shiraishi told police that he killed his first victim, a female acquaintance, shortly after moving there, and spent three days dismembering her body, the Yomiuri Shimbun said. He then killed her boyfriend who asked about his missing girlfriend, the Yomiuri said, citing unnamed police sources. Police for now believe that Shiraishi acted alone, the Tokyo Shimbun said. But his motives remain unclear, and investigators are questioning whether it's possible to kill a person nearly every week without neighbours noticing sounds of altercations or screams, the Tokyo Shimbun said. Neighbours have since reported noticing a foul smell emanating from the flat. Shiraishi has told investigators that he kept the body parts because he was afraid he might get caught if he discarded them. For now, he has been charged with improper disposal of one body but police are searching for evidence he killed all nine. While Japan prides itself on its low crime rate, it is no stranger to high-profile violent crimes. In Japan's bloodiest crime for decades, Satoshi Uematsu faces charges of killing 19 people and attempting to kill or injure 24 others at a disability centre near Tokyo in July 2016. In 1997 a 14-year-old schoolboy decapitated an 11-year-old acquaintance and placed the head at the gates of his school.

Japan killing spree 'lasted 2 months'

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