A 36-year-old high school employee in Iwate Prefecture, Japan, was arrested twice for killing hamsters at love hotels, police said [1, 2, 3].
In February 2026, the suspect killed about 20 hamsters together with a 19-year-old woman, which led to his initial detention in July [1, 2, 3]. Later, in late March, he killed about 30 more hamsters with a different 20-year-old woman [1, 2, 3]. He was arrested again on August 31 or September 1 for the March incident [1, 2, 3].
Authorities found videos and text messages on the suspect’s smartphone showing plans and recordings of the killings [1, 2, 3]. Both women involved, aged 19 and 20 respectively, have also been arrested [1, 2, 3].
The suspect reportedly asked, "Where are we going to kill the hamsters and have fun?" highlighting the premeditated nature of the acts [1, 2, 3].
Police continue investigating whether the suspect committed similar crimes beyond these two known cases [1, 2, 3]. The next step in the investigation and potential legal proceedings is pending.
