Tokyo "Joker" train attacker says he was inspired by similar case

Jul 19, 2023 | News On Japan

TOKYO - A man accused of attempted murder and arson while dressed in a Joker costume on a Tokyo train in 2021 said Tuesday that a similar incident a few months earlier inspired him to alter his original plan of going on a killing spree in Shibuya.

Kyota Hattori, 26, who made the statement during his trial at the Tachikawa branch of the Tokyo District Court, admitted to stabbing a man and starting a fire onboard the train but denied the fire was intended to kill other passengers.

Hattori said he conceived of the plan after learning about a knife attack on an Odakyu Electric Railway commuter train in August 2021, in which a man stabbed and slashed 10 passengers. During the incident, the suspect had poured cooking oil inside the carriage but failed to ignite it. ...continue reading

Source: ANNnewsCH

Russian 'Spy' Flees Japan

A Russian military intelligence officer accused of posing as an airline employee in Tokyo while overseeing the smuggling of high-tech equipment needed to sustain Russia's invasion of Ukraine left Japan after his activities were reported by The New York Times.

Can Climbers Survive a Sudden Mount Fuji Eruption?

Mount Fuji has entered its summer climbing season, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors while authorities on its Shizuoka and Yamanashi sides take sharply different approaches to protecting climbers from a possible eruption.

JAXA Conducts Epsilon S Engine Firing Test

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency conducted a ground firing test of the second-stage engine for its Epsilon S small solid-fuel rocket at the Tanegashima Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture on July 23.

Why Kuwana Reached a Record 40.6 Degrees

Kuwana in Mie Prefecture recorded 40.6 degrees Celsius, the highest temperature anywhere in Japan this year, as a powerful high-pressure system and hot downslope winds combined to produce dangerous heat across a wide area.

RansomHouse Claims Responsibility for Cyberattack on Nichirei

The hacker group known as RansomHouse has claimed responsibility for a cyberattack on frozen food giant Nichirei that delayed shipments and disrupted restaurants and supermarkets across Japan.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Kyoto Musician Arrested for Rocking Around the Clock

A 61-year-old unemployed man has been arrested after allegedly subjecting a quiet Kyoto neighborhood to years of relentless radio broadcasts and amplified guitar music, leaving nearby residents with sleep disorders and other health problems.

Dramatic Video Shows Police Shooting Knife-Wielding Robbery Suspect

A police officer shot and wounded a 21-year-old man who allegedly robbed a convenience store in Koshi, Kumamoto Prefecture, and then approached officers with a kitchen knife on the evening of July 22.

U.S.-Made One-Ton Bomb Found in Osaka Residential Area

An unexploded U.S.-made bomb believed to date from World War II has been discovered at a housing construction site in a residential district of Minoh, Osaka Prefecture, potentially requiring the evacuation of nearly 5,000 people during its disposal.

First Arrest for Capturing Endangered Butterfly

A 55-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly capturing an endangered butterfly in the Norikura Highlands of Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, marking Japan's first arrest involving the protected species.

Policeman Refuses Breath Test After Crashing Into Utility Pole

A 27-year-old police officer arrested after crashing into a utility pole in Hiroshima was found to have been driving under the influence, with a blood test detecting nearly three times the legal alcohol limit.

Japan Introduces Stricter Penalties for Drunk Driving

Japan began applying a new numerical alcohol threshold for dangerous driving offenses on July 21, introducing a clearer standard for cases involving impaired driving that could lead to fatal accidents.

Police Fire Warning Shot at Knife-Wielding Woman

A police officer fired a warning shot into the air after a 42-year-old woman approached officers while pointing a kitchen knife at them on a street in Eniwa, Hokkaido, on July 17.

Armed Driver Crashes Car Into Convenience Store

A 45-year-old man was arrested early July 20 after allegedly crashing a passenger car into a convenience store in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture, and walking around the parking lot carrying a kitchen knife and a golf club.

< 2 3 4 5 >