Photo/Illutration Kirato Wakayama in March 2014 was named an ambassador of Minokamo city in Gifu Prefecture. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

A former child actor who hit tough times as a young adult became known for fearlessness and a propensity for violence. These traits led to a job offer to deal with a Tokyo couple whose burned corpses were found last month, investigative sources said.

Tokyo and Tochigi prefectural police on May 21 rearrested Kirato Wakayama and Kang Gwang-gi, both 20, on suspicion of murdering Ryutaro Takarajima, 55, and his wife, Sachiko, 56.

The suspects were initially arrested over the burnt remains of the couple discovered in Nasu, Tochigi Prefecture, in April.

According to the investigative sources, Ryoken Hirayama, 25, who acted as an intermediary in arranging the crime, explained why he hired Wakayama and Kang for the job.

“They are quick with their fists, and they give the impression that they fear nothing,” Hirayama was quoted as saying.

When he was asked about the job over the phone, Wakayama said, “Let me think about it,” the sources said.

But after Hirayama demanded an immediate decision, Wakayama said, “I’ll do it,” according to the sources.

Wakayama was born in Minokamo, Gifu Prefecture, and started working as a child actor when he was around 8 years old, sources said.

He appeared in a historical drama series titled “Gunshi Kanbei” by Japan Broadcasting Corp. (NHK). He performed the childhood role of the main character.

Wakayama also served as an ambassador of Minokamo city.

He transferred to a junior high school in Tokyo’s Kita Ward and later entered a high school that had a performing arts course. But he dropped out due to lack of credits.

Although Wakayama was a member of an entertainment agency until 2020, there was hardly any actual activity recorded after 2018.

He recently had been living on the few tens of thousands of yen a month he earned from an irregular part-time job as well as money sent from his parents.

After the deaths of the Takarajimas, Hirayama handed Kang 5 million yen ($32,000) in cash for the job, the sources said. Kang told investigators he gave 2.5 million yen of the amount to Wakayama, but Wakayama said, “I only received about 1.5 million yen,” according to sources.

Kang and Wakayama later went on a trip to Osaka with their friends. They frequented a nightclub, where they posted on social media an image of them and their friends wearing sunglasses and making a “peace” sign.

Because of the post, police were able to track down the two and found them hiding in Osaka Prefecture.

They had apparently spent much of the money they received from Hirayama at the nightclub and on buying luxury brand bags and necklaces.

When they were arrested two weeks after the bodies were found, Kang had about 120,000 yen and Wakayama had about 10,000 yen.

(This article was written by Minami Endo, Shomei Nagatsuma and Hiromichi Fujita.)

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