Japan hunts for umbrella killer

Japanese police are hunting for a man who stabbed a stranger to death with an umbrella, possibly in a row over parking.

The victim, 55-year-old Toshimi Kuwabara, died on Thursday after being stabbed several times in the face and throat.

Witnesses quoted by Kyodo news agency said they had heard Mr Kuwabara and another man in a heated argument in the street, in the town of Hatsukaichi, near Hiroshima in western Japan.

They said they heard the killer shout "You are in the way of traffic" after Mr Kuwabara had parked his car.

Police said a man aged 20-30 in a navy suit holding a black umbrella was seen fleeing the scene.

Mr Kuwabara had arrived outside his 77-year old mother's home to take her to hospital.

He instead staggered into the house and reportedly told his mother: "I've been done over by a man I've never seen before."

He was rushed to hospital but died about an hour later.

"We believe there is a high possibility that an argument over parking was behind the incident, but it's still too soon to say for sure," a police spokesman said.