Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Footage from Utsunomiya shows fires and burnt out buildings and cars

Multiple blasts in the Japanese city of Utsunomiya have killed one person and injured three, emergency services say.

Police believe the blasts may be linked to an apparent suicide.

The explosions took place almost simultaneously at about 11:30 local time (02:30 GMT) in the city in Tochigi prefecture, north of Tokyo.

Two cars in a nearby parking area also caught fire at the same time, police said.

The Japanese broadcaster NHK says police found a suicide note at the scene, and one of the damaged vehicles was owned by a 72-year-old man, believed to be a former member of the Self-Defence Forces.

His house in the city of Utsunomiya had been destroyed in a fire shortly before the explosions, the broadcaster said.

The blast in the nearby park seriously injured two men, and a 14-year-old boy suffered minor leg injuries. No-one was injured in the car parking area.

A festival celebrating traditional culture had been taking place in the park. A man who was there at the time told NHK that he heard "a big sound" and smelled gunpowder.

The broadcaster also reported that a video camera at nearby Utsunomiya station recorded the sound of three explosions in quick succession - at 11:31, 11:32, and a third "bigger sound" 15 seconds later.

Image copyright AFP Image caption The force of one blast tore apart a park bench in a nearby bicycle parking area

Image copyright AFP Image caption Two cars in a nearby parking area caught fire at the same time as the explosions

Photographs showed a splintered and broken bench in the area of one of the blasts, while other images posted to social media appeared to show a column of black smoke.

Police have cordoned off the area.</s>72-year-old may have blown himself up in Utsunomiya park, media reports suggest

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Two apparent explosions have hit the Japanese city of Utsunomiya, killing one person and injuring three others in what police are viewing as a possible suicide.

Japanese media reports suggest that the victim, believed to be a 72-year-old former military officer, may have set his house on fire, blown up his car in a public car park and then blown himself up in a nearby park.

A note found in the clothing of the badly burnt victim included the name of the former officer, the Japanese broadcaster NHK and other media reported. The name was not disclosed. One of the cars destroyed in a blaze in the car park belonged to the retired military man, and his house burned to the ground earlier on Sunday, the reports said.

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The back-to-back loud bangs in the park and parking lot shocked bystanders, many heading to a festival at the park on a sunny autumn day. The apparent blasts occurred at around 11.30am within about 200 metres of each other. The festival was cancelled after the incidents.

Two men were seriously injured in the park explosion, and a 14-year-old boy had minor leg injuries. No one was hurt at the small car park.

The agency Kyodo News said the burnt body was found after police received a call saying a person was on fire following what sounded like an explosion.

Bystanders also reported hearing loud blasts from the car park. Flames and black smoke shot into the air and repeated bangs could be heard on video posted on the Asahi newspaper’s website. Nearby cars also were damaged.

Utsunomiya, the capital of Tochigi prefecture, is a city of about 500,000 people about 60 miles (100km) north of Tokyo. It is near the popular tourist destination of Nikko.</s>Two explosions have hit a Japanese city, killing one person and injuring three in what police say could be a suicide.

The victim, believed to be a 72-year-old former military officer, may have set his house in Utsunomiya on fire, blown up his car in a public car park and then blown himself up in a nearby park.

A note found in the clothing of the badly burned victim included the name of the former officer, Japanese broadcaster NHK and other media reported.

One of the cars destroyed in the blaze in the car park belonged to the retired military man, the reports said.

The back-to-back loud explosions in the park and car park shocked bystanders, many of whom were heading to a festival at the park at the time.

The blasts occurred at about 11.30am local time, within about 200m of each other. The festival was cancelled after the incidents.

Two men were seriously injured in the park explosion, and a 14-year-old boy suffered minor leg injuries. No one was hurt at the car park.

Kyodo News said the burned body was found after police received a call saying a person was on fire following what sounded like an explosion.

Bystanders also reported hearing loud blasts from the car park.

Flames and black smoke shot into the air and repeated bangs could be heard on video posted on the Asahi newspaper’s website.

Utsunomiya, the capital of Tochigi prefecture, is a city of some 500,000 people about 100km north of Tokyo.

It is near the popular tourist destination of Nikko.</s>Two apparent explosions have hit the Japanese city of Utsunomiya back-to-back, killing one person and injuring three others in what police are viewing as a possible suicide.

Japanese media reports suggest that the victim, believed to be a 72-year-old former military officer, may have set his house on fire, blown up his car in a public parking lot and then blown himself up in a nearby park.

A note found in the clothing of the badly burned victim included the name of the former officer, Japanese broadcaster NHK and other media reported. The name was not disclosed. One of the cars destroyed in a fiery blaze in the parking lot belonged to the retired military man, and his house burned to the ground earlier, the reports said.

One person was killed and at least two injured by two near-simultaneous blasts in a Japanese park today, the local fire department said.

The fire department spokesman added: “One person was found dead.” However, he did not elaborate further.

The back-to-back loud bangs in the park and parking lot shocked bystanders, many heading to a festival at the park on a sunny autumn day. The apparent blasts occurred around 11:30am yesterday within about 200 meters of each other. The festival was cancelled after the incidents.

Two men were seriously injured in the park explosion, and a 14-year-old boy had minor leg injuries. No one was hurt at the small parking lot.

Kyodo News agency said the burned body was found after police received a call saying a person was on fire following what sounded like an explosion.

Bystanders also reported hearing loud blasts from the parking lot. Flames and black smoke shot into the air and repeated bangs could be heard on video posted on the Asahi newspaper’s website. Nearby cars also were damaged.

Utsunomiya, the capital of Tochigi prefecture, is a city of some 500,000 people about 60 miles north of Tokyo. It is near the popular tourist destination of Nikko.

Suicide rates have declined in Japan in recent years, but remain among the highest in the world, with around 30,000 people a year taking their own lives.

Experts have pointed to the financial stress of surviving on small pensions for pushing some retired people to end their lives. In 2015, a 71-year-old man set himself on fire on a bullet train in an incident that also claimed the life of a 52-year-old woman travelling in the same carriage.</s>Two apparent explosions hit the Japanese city of Utsunomiya back-to-back Sunday, killing one person and injuring three others in what police are viewing as a possible suicide.

Japanese media reports suggest that the victim, believed to be a 72-year-old former military officer, may have set his house on fire, blown up his car in a public parking lot and then blown himself up in a nearby park.

A note found in the clothing of the badly burned victim included the name of the former officer, Japanese broadcaster NHK and other media reported. The name was not disclosed. One of the cars destroyed in a fiery blaze in the parking lot belonged to the retired military man, and his house burned to the ground earlier on Sunday, the reports said.

The back-to-back loud bangs in the park and parking lot shocked bystanders, many heading to a festival at the park on a sunny autumn day. The apparent blasts occurred around 11:30 a.m. within about 200 meters (yards) of each other. The festival was canceled after the incidents.

Two men were seriously injured in the park explosion, and a 14-year-old boy had minor leg injuries. No one was hurt at the small parking lot.

Kyodo News agency said the burned body was found after police received a call saying a person was on fire following what sounded like an explosion.

Bystanders also reported hearing loud blasts from the parking lot. Flames and black smoke shot into the air and repeated bangs could be heard on video posted on the Asahi newspaper's website. Nearby cars also were damaged.

Utsunomiya, the capital of Tochigi prefecture, is a city of some 500,000 people about 100 kilometers (60 miles) north of Tokyo. It is near the popular tourist destination of Nikko.</s>Public broadcaster NHK said a body badly damaged in the blast was found at a bicycle parking space for the park.

One person was killed and at least two injured by two near-simultaneous blasts in a Japanese park on Sunday, the local fire department said.

The explosions occurred at a park in Utsunomiya, some 100 kilometres north of Tokyo, shortly after 11:30 am (0230 GMT), a fire department spokesman said. It was not immediately clear what caused the blasts.

"One person was found dead," the fire department spokesman told AFP, without elaborating further.

Public broadcaster NHK said a body badly damaged in the blast was found at a bicycle parking space for the park.

"The sex and ages of the three are not known yet," another local fire department official said, adding one blast hit a car parking lot for the park.

NHK footage showed a car completely charred, as fire fighters poured water on it.

A man told NHK that he "smelled gunpowder in the area" after the explosions.</s>Two apparent explosions hit the Japanese city of Utsunomiya back-to-back Sunday, killing one person and injuring three others.

The reported blasts occurred before noon at a public park and a nearby parking lot, according to Japanese media reports. It wasn't clear if they were related, and police are investigating the incidents.

Kyodo News agency said a burned body was found in the park after police received a call saying a person was engulfed in flames following what sounded like an explosion. Three other people were injured.

A few minutes earlier, a car caught on fire in the parking lot. Flames and black smoke shot into the air and repeated bangs could be heard on video posted on the Asahi newspaper's website. Nearby cars were damaged, but no one was hurt.

Utsunomiya, the capital of Tochigi prefecture, is a city of some 500,000 people about 100 kilometers (60 miles) north of Tokyo. It is near the popular tourist destination of Nikko.</s>One person is dead and three others injured after two apparent explosions back-to-back in the Japanese city of Utsunomiya (oot-soo-noh-mee-ya).

Japanese media say the reported blasts occurred before noon Sunday at a public park and a nearby pay-parking lot. It wasn't clear if they were related, and police are investigating.

Kyodo News service says a burned body was found in the park after police received a call saying a person was engulfed in flames following sounds of an explosion. Three others were injured.

A few minutes earlier, a car caught on fire in the parking lot. Flames and smoke shot into the air and repeated bangs could be heard on video posted on the Asahi newspaper website. No one was hurt.</s>One person has died and three others have been injured in two apparent back-to-back explosions in the Japanese city of Utsunomiya.

Local media say the blasts occurred on Sunday morning in a public park and a nearby car park. It was not clear if they were related, and police are investigating.

Kyodo News service said a burned body was found in the park after police received a call saying a person was engulfed in flames following sounds of an explosion.

A few minutes earlier, a vehicle caught fire in the car park.

Flames and smoke shot into the air and repeated bangs could be heard on video posted on the Asahi newspaper website.</s>One person was found dead Sunday after at least two explosions rocked a park in Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture, north of Tokyo, local police said.

Three other people were injured in the park, where a festival had been underway, authorities said.

Cars were found burning in a parking lot at around 11:30 a.m., according to police, but the cause of the blazes was not immediately known.

One of the explosions took place at Utsunomiyajoshi Park’s bicycle parking lot, where the body was found, NHK quoted police as saying. The body had been badly damaged in the blast and ensuing fire, it said.

The event, which taught traditional culture, was canceled.

Photos posted to social media showed columns of black smoke and the charred remains of two vehicles parked next to each other.
Two explosions in a park in the Japanese city of Utsunomiya, Tochigi Prefecture, kill at least one person and injure three others. Local media report that a 72-year-old ex-military officer is responsible for the blasts. A fire the same day destroyed the suspect's house.