Four relatives arrested over bodies: Japan police

TOKYO (AFP) - Police arrested four members of the same extended family on Wednesday in a multiple murder investigation that has transfixed Japan, an official said.

Newspapers and television news programmes have offered extensive daily coverage since three decaying corpses were found in an empty house in Hyogo prefecture in the west of Japan several weeks ago.

A fourth body encased in a concrete-filled drum was pulled out of the sea west of Hyogo earlier this week as police said more people were missing, presumed dead.

The main suspect in the case - a 64-year-old woman called Miyoko Sumida who used to live in the abandoned house - has been in custody since early in the probe, which began last year.