Hayama Imperial Villa Arson Incident (January 28, 1971)

Fire at Hayama Imperial Villa, Wooden Main Residence Totally Destroyed by Intruder's Cigarette Part of the porch that remained burned out, The fire broke out at around 10:20 p.m. on January 27, 1971, at the main residence of the Imperial Villa in Hayama-cho Isshiki, Kanagawa Prefecture, and completely destroyed the building. The fire broke out on the south side of the main residence in the center of the Imperial Villa, near the Imperial Prince's Room, and destroyed the 1,148 square meters of the main residence, which was a two-story, partly wooden structure. The main residence is a dilapidated wooden structure, and by the time fire engines arrived, the surrounding area was a sea of fire. The "Joint Investigation Headquarters for the Imperial Villa Fire Incident" was established by the Imperial Household Police and Kanagawa Prefectural Police, and an investigation was launched. The fire was caused by a cigarette smoked by a man who had broken into the Imperial Villa, according to the statement of the man who surrendered himself on February 5 of the same year. Part of the porte-cochere left unburned by the fire at the Hayama Imperial Villa: photo by Kenichi Sesshu on January 28, 1971 at the Imperial Household Agency Hayama Imperial Villa in Isshiki, Hayama-cho, Kanagawa Prefecture.