Japanese Man Slain After Receiving Death Threats : Stabbing: Two weeks ago, two bikers had blamed his nation for U.S. recession and said they would kill him, his son said.

A Japanese businessman was found stabbed to death in the garage of his Camarillo home Monday, and detectives were investigating a possible link to anti-Japanese threats made against the victim two weeks ago.

Yasuo Kato, 49, was confronted at his front door Feb. 9 by two bikers who tried to extort money from him while blaming Japan for the U.S. recession, police said. One biker reportedly threatened Kato’s life repeatedly after Kato pushed him out of the house and locked the door.

“He told my father, ‘I know you’re Japanese, and I think we have a right to take money from you because our economy is hurting from your people,’ ” said the victim’s son, Toshiyuki Kato, 25. “After my father pushed him out, the guy started kicking the door screaming, ‘I’m going to kill you, I’m going to get you, I know where you live.’ ”

Ventura County sheriff’s detectives said they are searching for the two motorcyclists as possible suspects in the killing, although they were cautious about describing it as racially motivated or a product of Japan-bashing.

“It happens all the time, two guys wanting money from someone, but it doesn’t end up the motive for a killing,” said Detective Will Hammer.

Kato, a developer and investment counselor who moved to California from Japan in 1988, was found in his garage Monday morning by his housekeeper. An eight-inch hunting knife covered in dried blood lay nearby.

Ventura County Sheriff’s Detective Sgt. Pat Buckley said the killer may have been lying in wait for Kato, who was stabbed repeatedly in the chest while unloading groceries sometime between 9:30 p.m. and midnight.

Buckley said that there were no signs of a struggle or forced entry and that nothing was taken from the residence.

The housekeeper who found Kato’s body said he had been terribly frightened by the threats on his life earlier this month and warned her repeatedly to keep the doors locked whenever she was working alone in the house.

“The man told Mr. Kato he wanted money because the American economy is going down and American people are losing jobs because of Japanese people,” the housekeeper said. “After Mr. Kato talked with police, he said he thought there was nothing he could do to protect himself, and that I should be very careful, too.”

Kato’s son said his father’s company, K & M Corp., was in the process of developing several residential projects in the Palmdale and Lancaster areas. The company has offices in Los Angeles and Oxnard.

Kato’s wife lived with her husband for about eight months last year, but had otherwise remained in Japan since her husband had set up his business in 1988. Neighbors described Kato as a quiet man who, since he spoke little English, generally acknowledged them with just a friendly wave.

When he moved into the house on Arabian Place in Camarillo three years ago, by way of introduction, he presented one neighbor a hand-embroidered Japanese tablecloth as a gift.

“He was standing there sweet as pie, with his son translating, asking when he goes away would I check his house and get his mail,” said the neighbor, who asked not to be identified. “When he gave me the tablecloth, I was flabbergasted at how beautiful it was, and how unusual, since normally it’s the other way around, you welcome the new neighbor.

“I’d hate to think someone would single this man out because he’s Japanese,” the woman said. “It would be absurd to blame him or anyone who is Japanese for the recession. I will miss him. He didn’t deserve this.”