Osaka Arson Suspect Identified, Buildings to Be Checked

Osaka Arson Suspect Identified, Buildings to Be Checked
A mourner prays in front of offerings near a building where a fire broke out, in Osaka, western Japan, on Dec. 18, 2021. Kyodo News via AP
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TOKYO—Japanese police on Sunday identified a 61-year-old man as a prime suspect behind a fire that engulfed a mental health clinic in an eight-story building where he was a patient, killing 24 people who were trapped inside.

The government also announced plans to inspect tens of thousands of similar buildings nationwide. Authorities believe the massive death toll at the downtown Osaka building on Friday was largely because the fire made its only emergency stairway unusable.