A police officer in Japan allegedly triggered a bomb scare at a restaurant simply because he did not want to attend his own farewell party.
The bizarre incident reportedly took place in Saga earlier this year, leaving both restaurant staff and investigators stunned after the truth emerged.
According to reports by Japan Today, the restaurant received a suspicious phone call in March. The caller allegedly instructed an employee to check the entrance of the premises.
When staff members went to investigate, they discovered a handwritten note claiming that a bomb had been planted at the restaurant.
The alarming message immediately sparked panic, forcing the restaurant to cancel reservations and halt operations for the night. Among the affected bookings was a farewell gathering organised by a group of co-workers for one of their colleagues.
Police officers launched investigations into the bomb threat and conducted searches at the restaurant. Fortunately, no explosives or dangerous items were found on-site.
However, the investigation soon took an unexpected turn.
Authorities eventually traced the bomb hoax back to a police officer from the very same local police department handling the case. The suspect was reportedly a man in his 20s who had been preparing to leave the force at the end of March.
Ironically, the cancelled farewell party had been organised for him.
According to Tokyo Reporter, the officer later admitted his motive was simple: he did not want to attend the event.
The case has since attracted widespread attention online, with many netizens joking about the extreme lengths the officer went to avoid an awkward social gathering. Others criticised the act as irresponsible, especially given the amount of public resources typically deployed in response to bomb threats.
False bomb threats are treated seriously in Japan and many other countries, as they can disrupt businesses, trigger evacuations, and divert emergency services away from genuine incidents.
While the officer may have succeeded in avoiding his farewell party, the incident has likely left a far more lasting impression on his colleagues than the event itself ever would have.