18-year-old arrested for pushing man onto train tracks at Ogikubo station

Good on the guy for sticking up for his girlfriend. He`d probably had enough of liquored up ji-ji generally bringing the tone of the place down. And anyway ji-ji assaulted his girlfriend first. And he was drunk so might have overbalanced, tripped, who knows. 18yo guy hardly deserves to be labelled a "madman"

Fadamor, your arguments are total rubbish. You are defending a madman who lost control in an argument on a train platform in the centre of Tokyo and pushed a man onto the train tracks. You are trying to defend him with outright nonsense such as whether there was a train arriving at the time, or that it was an accident. You have no evidence whatsoever and the real evidence provided by the police states that this mad kid grabbed the older guy and shoved him onto the train tracks. 'As for intent' ? 'Blur the truth of the matter' ? Read the article properly before spouting nonsense. The police are accusing him of grabbing the other guy and pushing him onto the train tracks. eh ?

Hey Fadamor,

"I never said that pushing a guy onto the tracks is manslaughter."

is not a contradiction of..

"Pushing someone off a train platform is manslaughter."

It IS true Northlondon never said pushing a guy onto the tracks is manslaughter. He said pushing someone off a train platform is manslaughter. Sorry to put such a fine point on it, but your argument would not hold up in court. The two actions are not the same. You think they are the same? Look here, I could push a guy off a train platform and he doesn't land on the tracks, correct? And I could push a guy onto tracks without it being from a platform. See?

How about asking for clarification instead of trying to play "gotcha"? May be more mature don't you think? For example, "It seems that you might be contradicting yourself when you said a is b but b is c... do you mean...? or do you mean...? Could you please clarify. Thank you."

Northlondon wrote:

I never said that pushing a guy onto the tracks is manslaughter. I said that a mere 2 minutes later and it would have been, when the train was due to arrive. I did say that it should be "attempted" manslaughter.

...and yet here is what you wrote in your post timestamped 7:11...

Pushing someone off a train platform is manslaughter - the train was merely 2 minutes away my friend and he is alive because someone pushed the alarm.

Perhaps people would take you more seriously if you didn't lie when the evidence proving the lie is only one page up, eh?

As for intent, without actually having been there to witness the incident, there's no way you can say the kid intended to put the man onto the tracks. That's for the police to determine from any other witnesses that were there. I wasn't there and odds are you weren't either.

Make no mistake, I am not saying the kid was justified in doing what he did. Based on what the article reported, it is obvious he's guilty of assault and battery. I am just saying hysterical rants like you are providing only serve to blur the truth of the matter.

You are correct about "madman", northlondon.

If I imagine myself having the urge to push someone onto train tracks, when I know a train may come any minute, I would think I would have to be insane. I mean, even if I was angry and it was in the heat of passion I still could not imagine doing that... but does that just mean I am plagued with having a conscience?

Hmm..

Only assault? So, punching someone in the face while walking down the sidewalk is the same as pushing them off a train platform onto train tracks? Are the Japanese police mentally handicapped??? If Bizzaro World from Superman has police they are Japanese.

"pushing" + "off train platform" should = very serious crime... to deter future similar actions perhaps?

Hmm..

Only assault? So, punching someone in the face while walking down the sidewalk is the same as pushing them off a train platform onto train tracks? Are the Japanese police mentally handicapped??? If Bizzaro World from Superman has police they are Japanese.

"pushing" + "off train platform" should = very serious crime... to deter future similar actions perhaps?

Fadamor, amazingly, yet another person defending this kid who threw a guy onto the train tracks because of an altercation ! This world seems to be full of aggressive madmen who would do the same. Read my post again buddy. I never said that pushing a guy onto the tracks is manslaughter. I said that a mere 2 minutes later and it would have been, when the train was due to arrive. I did say that it should be "attempted" manslaughter. Listen pal, if you push someone onto the train tracks in the centre of Tokyo then you would stand a very, very good chance of killing them. 'Assault and battery' ? Don't make me laugh ! Throwing the man under a train is a false statement ? What, was the train station closed for the night ! Were the trains on strike ? Pushing someone onto the train tracks in the centre of a metropolitan city is the same thing. And God help all of us if you were ever on a jury and presented with a similar crime.

Northlondon, you're still exaggerating. Pushing someone onto some tracks is not manslaughter unless that person actually dies as a result of the fall or the situation after the fall (train, heart attack, etc.) Based on the news report, the kid is guilty of assault and battery. You DID state multiple times that the kid threw the man "under a train" which is a false statement. God help any prosecutor that needs to rely on you as an eyewitness to a crime.

I gotta agree that calling an 18-year-old a "minor" seems a bit strange considering he could be a college/university student. But if that's the law, then that's the way it is.

all this for a girl? That guy sucks. So many women out there!

OneForAll, take it from me (lets just say this is the line of work I am in), unless someone is making a real threat to you or your families lives. Or unless someone is actually assaulting you or your family physically, then under Japanese criminal law you are expected to walk away. A lunatic, yes of course. Chikans, you are expected to follow them and report them, not to touch them physically. But this kid is saying he had an argument with a drunk who 'allegedly' grabbed his girlfriends arm. All you can do in Japan is to take the drunks hand away and leave it at that (that is, if he really did grab the girls arm in the first place which seems dubious). Pushing the drunk onto the train tracks ? Expect to go straight to jail my friend.

Northlondon: "There is no self-defence argument under Japanese criminal law. " Where do you get this info? I would defend my wife and children against a lunatic and I hear of people helping to nab chikans. Ther must be something like citizens arrest etc.

Obot2008, with all due respect, you are talking nonsense. If you believe that it is acceptable to push a man off of a train platform in the defence of your girlfriend, then I am wasting my time debating this with you. And your argument that he was not actually pushed under a train is ridiculous. Pushing someone off a train platform is manslaughter - the train was merely 2 minutes away my friend and he is alive because someone pushed the alarm. And there is no evidence anywhere that the girlfriend was assaulted. Except the defence statement from the guy who pushed the man onto the tracks. "It sounded to me like" ? If you were not actually there it could sound like anything. If you didn't already know, in Japan even if a drunk touches your girlfriend, if you touch that drunk in return then you are going straight to jail buddy. There is no self-defence argument under Japanese criminal law. And in my book even if a drunk assaulted your girlfriend, there is no defence to throw him onto a train track.

It sounds to me like all the drunkard needed to do was pick his butt up off the ground within a few minutes time. From what I read nobody was "thrown under a train" or for that matter narrowly escaped being run down by said vehicle...simple assault not attempted manslaughter..case closed.

The platform at Ogikubo is about four and half feet above the level of the tracks, and the victim was pushed with sufficient force to break a rib. Trains go straight through that station without stopping at considerable speed. If it hadn't been for someone's presence of mind to push the emergency button that boy could be responsible for a man's death.

Northlondon "So that justifies you throwing a man under a train ? It should be attempted manslaughter" "the 18 year old who likes pushing people under trains is the real aggressor here" "Where is the evidence that he grabbed the girl ? None of us were there. The only witness to that is an 18 year old madman who pushes people under trains"

Did I miss the part of the story where someone was actually pushed under a moving train? You chide us for commenting on the alleged assault on the female that was reported in the story, yet you write your own story about someone being "thrown under trains." Calm down man. The story says nothing about anyone being thrown under a train, it merely reports an alleged assault on a female and an alleged assault in response. It sounds to me like all the drunkard needed to do was pick his butt up off the ground within a few minutes time. From what I read nobody was "thrown under a train" or for that matter narrowly escaped being run down by said vehicle...simple assault not attempted manslaughter..case closed. I wasn't there so I don't know if the drunk actually touched the girl, but if he did, he got off rather lightly.

Obviously he assaulted the girl for no reason

Why, because he is unemployed ? Were you there ? It sounds like the 18 year old who likes pushing people under trains is the real aggressor here.

that drunk moron will be thinking twice before grabbing girls again.

Where is the evidence that he grabbed the girl ? None of us were there. The only witness to that is an 18 year old madman who pushes people under trains.

i say he deserves this. Obviously he assaulted the girl for no reason and the guy had to protect her. that drunk moron will be thinking twice before grabbing girls again. Hope the kid gets a good lawyer.

he was doing what any guy would do, when protecting his lady.

Glad no one was hurt. Well apart from some dumbass drunk who thought it would be fun to assault some girl, despite her boyfriend being right there.

I cannot believe that people are defending someone who pushed a guy off a train platform during an argument ! In most countries that would be attempted manslaughter and it would have been manslaughter if it had happened just 2 minutes later. None of us were there, so how do we know whether that couple started the trouble and whether that girl attacked the other guy ?

he grabbed my girlfriend’s arm

So that justifies you throwing a man under a train ? It should be attempted manslaughter.

The platforms at JR Ogikubo are fairly spacious, so I doubt it was accidental. I wasn't there, but the report says the boy grabbed the man and pushed him onto the tracks. Whatever the provocation, it seems like aggravated assault at the least. Some Chuo-line trains go straight through there, and if it had been one of them, they would not have had time to stop. I think everybody involved here has been lucky.

"The youth, who cannot be named because he is a minor"...........isn't this just a bit behind the times???? When the heck are they going to change this ridiculous age limit????

realist at 01:38 PM JST - 16th June

It seems to be a pattern now among young Japanese males. If they dont like someone, they have the desire to kill them by pushing them in front of trains. ??????????? I haven't noticed a pattern developing- have I missed the news. Weird stuff happens, yes, but not an outbreak of murder by speeding train.

I dont think he pushed him the tracks intentionally, may have been a small platform and he pushed the drunk away and he fell over the side...depends on how the witnesses saw it as well. Had to be more people on the platform, someone did push the emergency button.

It seems to be a pattern now among young Japanese males. If they dont like someone, they have the desire to kill them by pushing them in front of trains.

Hope he gets 10 years for assault and she gets 5 years for littering.

There was no need to push the guy on the tracks. Grab him and say "hands off." They should be asking others on the platform if the guy actually touched his girlfriend. But the guy is unemployed so he`s automatically off on the wrong foot when it comes to the law in this country.

Kick the boy in the butt; Teach the girl about using proper bins; and slap the man silly for assaulting first... well maybe the cracked rib is good enough punishment.

Groping a girl...would make me angry if he put his hands on my wife. Pushing onto the tracks, probably just pushed and fell off the platform because there are no safety rails in place.

Charge 'em all - the two men with assault, and the girl for probably putting her empty drink bottle in the wrong bin.

no - this guy assaulted someone and should be charged with actual bodily harm or whatever it's called here.

Give the kid a slap on the wrist....he was doing what any guy would do, when protecting his lady.

He was drunk and he grabbed my girlfriend’s arm

i say he deserves this. Obviously he assaulted the girl for no reason and the guy had to protect her. that drunk moron will be thinking twice before grabbing girls again. Hope the kid gets a good lawyer.

Teach that dude a lesson!

Glad no one was hurt. Well apart from some dumbass drunk who thought it would be fun to assault some girl, despite her boyfriend being right there.

This punk was protecting his girlfriend from a drunk. Those platforms are narrow and a drunk could easily fall if pushed. The answer for this, would be for JR to install gates and protect the stupid drunks who often fall onto the tracks.

I'd like to see more safety barriers at stations.

Hope the punk gets jail time, hope the drunk get's a job and hope the girl comes to America .