18-year-old youth arrested for stabbing 9-year-old boy outside school

Police said the suspect has so far said nothing about his motive, other than he was bullied when he was younger.

Not to excuse what he did, but I understand the feeling too well.

I was bullied for years as a kid, and during this time I was alternating between wanting to kill myself or kill all the kids in my school. It was just a matter of time or of one day worse than the others before I did the same thing. And there are many more like this, not only in Japan. "A stick of TNT lit from both ends" as Shane Koyczan puts it. And this story is another example of why bullying must be treated very seriously.

I hope the poor kid will recover fully.

How many of these ticking time bombs do we walk past on a daily basis? I used to think it was really safe in Japan. (I know...it is.)

But you never know when it's YOU who will be the next unlucky victim.

I was bullied in high school by the jocks being one of the Nerds but I never considered hurting anyone because of it. That's a BS cop out

Typical Japanese hierarchy of bullying and pain. "I was abused by those above me, so now I will abuse those below me..."

I was bullied for years as a kid, and during this time I was alternating between wanting to kill myself or kill all the kids in my school. It was just a matter of time or of one day worse than the others before I did the same thing. And there are many more like this, not only in Japan. "A stick of TNT lit from both ends" as Shane Koyczan puts it. And this story is another example of why bullying must be treated very seriously.

Jeez you and I are kindred spirits. Bullying was why I got into the martial arts at age 11

@Michaeljackson

I was bullied in high school by the jocks being one of the Nerds but I never considered hurting anyone because of it. That's a BS cop out

Sorry mate, but the world ain't so black and white as some like to see it. You have experience with bullying, no doubt have seen other' poster's examples of bullying and the way they dealt with it, and I will throw in my experience and how I dealt with it too. A #metoo sort of moment. Was bullied at school, quite badly aswell, because of a few health problems when I was younger. Had to go to school at times with bruising and and strangle marks around my neck from my so called 'father', another form of abuse and bullying. Seeing shotguns pointed at me and my mother and him threatening to kill us all....and people deal with it differently. Me, I withdrew and became an introvert, drugs, alcohol and used self harm to lessen the pain. You might have been able to stand up to these pricks, others are not so lucky to be like you. Some deal with it like Aly, some like me, who wish to destroy their own world and then there are some who wish to destroy the entire world and everyone in it. I don't condone his actions, far from it.... Just a little understanding in that people and their mechanisms are like cultures,all are diffenent.

Here's what should happen: put him in detention and keep the trial date until after the law has been revised so that 18 year-olds are adults. Don't let the laws at the time of the crime be considered, and charge him with attempted murder, locking him up. If they insist on charging him based on the laws of the time of the crime, make it one of those rare examples where they charge a minor as an adult, and lock him up.

Poor little boy, not only is he going to be scared for life with the cuts and stitches, but the mental wounds as well, poor kid i hope he makes a full recovery, as for the attacker, what the heck are you thinking of? whats your motive?

He was bullied so he attacks little kids? No defence, no excuse.

Jeez you and I are kindred spirits. Bullying was why I got into the martial arts at age 11

Indeed ! I start at 15 for the same reason ! ^^

Wooo! Another crazy picking on the defenseless. TIJ! Glad the kid is gonna be ok, but 20cm gash and a fractured skull are pretty serious injuries.

Disillusioned

So you recommend that people take beatings from bullies because “violence begets violence?”

That is so far from the truth its almost funny.

I was bullied by my brothers and kids at school throughout my elementary school years.

In high school it got worse. I joined the British army and I myself became a terrible bully. (very ashamed of some of the things I did)

I joined the police and was known for taking a hard stance on colleagues and more so the "bad guys" I wouldn't necessarily say it was bullying though.

Then I became a father...and the softest guy in the world.

Now...extremely anti bullying.

............(but don't p me off though;)

This weeks version of the pathetic, weak and bitter animal taking revenge on pure innocence. Warning signs went unnoticed or ignored I imagine. When they pop they really pop. Hope the wee fellas ok. Wrong place at the wrong time.

Surely another case of untreated mental illness. Angry young men that should be receiving treatment, including drugs and/or institutionalization.

bullied when younger

what to see what it felt like killing someone

I was angry

I was depressed

I was unhappy

I was mad at myself

I didn't like the way I was looked at.

He smiled at me funny

He didn't return my good morning

the list just grows...

Being bullied is not as easy to overcome or forget as some people here claim they also went through the same way but didn't harbor any worst feeling or make any wrong decision. You haven't really been to their situation and you were not grown up as a Japanese. You just want to believe you know/ understand about Japan and Japanese because you've lived in Japan long enough or lived with Japanese partner for a while.

@Disillusioned, sorry, but your so wrong on your point, learning self defence teaches you to have discipline, control, and confidence, ( and other things) just because you learn martial arts does no mean that you use them to be an aggressor, more like to but stand up for your self, and protect your self.

I am with Brian on this. Martial arts does wonders for children who are being bullied.

My teacher was Ken Morgan. 6th dan. Okinawan Karate. Bushido.

This is what kids get from it.

https://pma-pflugerville.perfectmind.com/SocialSite/kids

bullied when younger

what to see what it felt like killing someone

I was angry

I was depressed

I was unhappy

I was mad at myself

I didn't like the way I was looked at.

He smiled at me funny

He didn't return my good morning

the list just grows...

You missed the most common one:

I was drunk and don't remember a thing

jcapan, quote: "Surely another case of untreated mental illness. Angry young men that should be receiving treatment, including drugs and/or institutionalization."

This is possible, but it is also surely possible that he is already taking drugs but forgot to take his daily dose. Or recently the doc took him off his meds because he was acting strangely. In the past far more people were drugged and institutionalized, before care in the community kicked in.

As far as I know there has been no discussion about how 18 year olds will be treated in criminal matters once they become adults under the new law anyone. Does anyone know what the law says about criminal matters

I simply can't believe that his parents, other family members, friends and acquaintances etc. did not know that this guy is crazy, someone must have known but did absolutely nothing. Having said that, what could they have done?

Again, knife and hammer - the psychos weapons of choice in japan, and another weak victim chosen at random.

Lock him up for at least ten years. If he thought the bullies were bad on the outside, wait till he meets the bullies on the inside

BintaroT - Jeez you and I are kindred spirits. Bullying was why I got into the martial arts at age 11 - Indeed ! I start at 15 for the same reason ! ^^

Violence begets violence! You cannot solve violence in society with a bigger stick!