Tokyo, Dec 8 (AFP) A former priest wielding a samuraisword killed his Shinto priestess sister and another woman inan apparent family vendetta at a historic Tokyo shrine, beforeturning the blade on himself, police told today.
Shigenaga Tomioka, 56, set upon his older sister Nagako,chief priestess at Tomioka Hachimangu shrine, with a samuraisword late Thursday in a rare violent assault in the Japanesecapital.
The 58-year-old Nagako was later pronounced dead with a"deep" stab wound to her chest along with a laceration to theback of her neck.
Shigenaga Tomioka had once served as a priest and thesiblings had long quarrelled over shrine affairs, according tolocal media.
Police refrained from commenting on the motive but saidit was not a random assault.
Nagako and Shigenaga are known to have fought over thesuccession rights at the shrine, local media said.
While Shigenaga was assaulting his sister, another woman-- reportedly the attacker's wife -- pursued Nagako's driverwith a sword.
The driver escaped but suffered deep cuts to hisshoulder, arm, and chest, police said.
After the attack, the pair then moved to an area near theresidential compound on the shrine's leafy grounds.
"We believe the male suspect (Shigenaga) stabbed thewoman before stabbing himself," the spokesman said, addingthat they both died, bringing the total fatalities to three.
The shrine dates back to 1627 and is best known for itssummer water-splashing festival, seen as one of the top threefestivals in Tokyo.
It has received Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko inthe past.
Sumo wrestlers also pay visits to the shrine, which hadhosted tournaments in historic times.(AFP)AMS.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.