Japanese Man Arrested for Assaulting Stepsons, Wife in Family Dispute

Police in Kofu, Yamanashi Prefecture, arrested 57-year-old Tetsuya Honda, a company employee, for allegedly punching and kicking his wife’s two stepsons (aged 8 and 9) before striking her when she intervened.

The incident occurred around 7:30 p.m. on February 4 at their home, where Honda lives with his wife, the boys, and an unharmed infant, TV Asahi reported. The stepsons suffered facial injuries; Honda’s 30-year-old wife sustained a neck injury. She called police, leading to his arrest on Tuesday.

Honda admitted the assault, telling officers: “I hit the kids to discipline them because they didn’t keep their promise to take care of their pet.” His wife revealed prior unreported incidents of him hitting the children for discipline.