FAMILY OF 5 FOUND DEAD IN HOUSE

JAPANESE POLICE ARE INVESTIGATING A MASS KILLING IN A HOUSE IN THE TOURIST TOWN OF TAKACHIHO POLICE FOUND SEVEN BODIES IN AND NEAR THE HOME. FIVE OF THE VICTIMS WERE FROM THE SAME FAMILY, A SIXTH VICTIM WAS A FAMILY FRIEND AND A UNIDENTIFIED VICTIM WAS FOUND IN THE RIVER NEARBY. LOCAL MEDIA REPORTS SOME OF THE VICTIMS WERE STABBED BUT A MURDER WEAPON HAS NOT BEEN FOUND. THE VICTIMS RANGED IN AGE FROM SEVEN TO 72 YEARS OLD. MASS KILLINGS ARE RARE IN JAPAN AS IT IS CONSIDERED ONE OF THE SAFEST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD.