God, I love this country.

I posted this on my stupid links section (to the right), but I wanted to cast even more attention to it. This story has GOT to be read. And honestly, I don't find it even that unusual after living here... but man I woulda given my left kidney to see this.

A man, his turtle, and the police officer.

An elderly man seen pulling a turtle by a string along a street here bit a policeman responding to an alert Friday evening, leaving the officer with slight injuries, police said.

Tomiyasu Matsuhashi, 70, a carpenter living in Saiwai-ku, Kawasaki, is accused of obstructing the officer from performing his official duties. Police are questioning him also on suspicion of violating the law banning cruelty to animals.

He denied the allegations during questioning. "I never bit the officer," he was quoted as telling investigators.

At about 5:50 p.m. a passer-by spotted Matsuhashi pulling a turtle by a string along a street in the Nisshincho district of Kawasaki-ku, and reported the incident to a nearby police box saying it might constitute animal abuse.

A 26-year-old officer rushed to the scene and questioned Matsuhashi. The old man then kicked the turtle saying, "Turtles never die, even if they are run over by a 1-ton car," investigators said. He then bit the officer, who suffered injuries to his left wrist that are expected to take a week to heal.

Matsuhashi had punched a hole in the turtle's shell and connected it by a piece of string to the collar of his pet dog. (Mainichi)