Asahi Shimbun wrote:

Police quoted Shiroo, who has admitted he intended to kill Itoh, as saying, "I thought I would kill myself after shooting the mayor."

He also told investigators he held a personal grudge against the city government over a February 2003 accident in which his car fell into a pothole near city-ordered construction work of a sidewalk.

Shiroo said he was dissatisfied with the city's handling of the matter because officials did not respond to his requests to negotiate compensation for his damaged vehicle, according to police.