Police in Nasu, Tochigi Prefecture, have arrested a 49-year-old unemployed man on suspicion of attempting to kill the 63-year-old manager of a poultry farm where he used to work.

According to police, Tomoya Amari is suspected of breaking into the office of the poultry farm at around 12:30 a.m. on Saturday and attempting to kill the farm manager by stabbing him in the neck with a fruit knife while he was sleeping on the sofa, TV Asahi reported.

Immediately after being stabbed, the man called 110 and reported that he had been stabbed by a former employee. He was taken to hospital where doctors said his wound was not life-threatening.

Police said Amari has admitted to the allegation and quoted him as saying he meant to kill his former boss because “the man treated me coldly.”