A 53-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of biting his adult son to death to get rid of a "snake haunting him", Japanese media have reported. TV Asahi said Katsumi Nagaya seriously injured his son, Takuya, on Friday at the younger man's apartment in Anjo, central Japan, by head-butting and biting him after the 23-year-old began writhing around and claiming to be a serpent.

Takuya was taken to hospital but declared dead a short time later, the broadcaster said.

The suspect reportedly told police he had attacked his son in order to remove the snake from his mind.