Makoto Oya, a 52-year-old tax counsellor from Saitama City, was arrested in August 2017 after a member of the public alerted authorities to footage he had uploaded to an anonymous video-sharing site. Over a 13-month period, Oya snared at least 13 stray cats using steel traps near a dilapidated house in Fukaya City. During his trial, he confessed to:
The case sparked a massive public outcry, including a petition for a maximum sentence that garnered over 210,000 signatures. Despite the severity of the crimes—resulting in the death of nine cats—the Tokyo District Court handed Oya a in December 2017: Makoto Oya Cat Videos
The Oya case brought international attention to the need for better monitoring of digital content and stronger international cooperation to prevent animal abuse. It highlighted the role of the public in reporting illegal content to authorities and the importance of digital literacy in identifying and flagging harmful media. Efforts to combat animal cruelty now involve: Makoto Oya, a 52-year-old tax counsellor from Saitama
While Kiki is the queen of his filmography, Oya’s ensemble cast includes: Despite the severity of the crimes—resulting in the
The case of Makoto Oya represents one of the most notorious instances of animal cruelty in modern Japanese history, highlighting the dark intersection of internet subcultures and violent crime. The Crimes of Makoto Oya
