46-year-old man arrested for attempting to kill 3-year-old boy in shopping mall

Well, if he’s mentally disabled, he’s mentally disabled. Bottom line is watch your kids at all times.

Thankfully the child is ok. It's a sad, terrible incident and I hope the suspect can receive the care he needs.

Demonising disabled people is barbaric.

Lock him up, fit him a new straight jacket, etc. Perhaps. As usual; the full story is not known.

But one person does this and suddenly everyone's looking at the mentally disabled people walking freely around. Shopping, standing at bus stops, in parks, some of them even in employment ... trying to live their lives. Imagine that.

Not condoning the terrible, trauma visited on the innocent kid but remember; people of "sound" mind can just as easily flip and do something out of character. Could be the drinking, the job situation, the relationships problems.. All it takes is one bad day, right?

I was at an Aeon a couple weeks back and there was an announcement in several languages asking customers to ensure their children were not left unsupervised and forbidding them to play on or near escalators and among the clothing displays.

What does "mentally disabled" mean in this context? He seems to have been able to conceive and execute a plan.

@Toasted

Strait

Don’t descend....

Mental illness and disability is not confined to Japan. Your colleague, neighbour, friend, relation could be suffering.

Should all of them be locked up?

A greater understanding and compassion and better health services are required.

Again, this is not to excuse the actions of this particular individual.

Mental disabilities can include depression, bipolarism, schizophrenia, paranoia, personality disorders, cerebal palsy and a myriad of other ailments.

Medication in some instances can control the illnesses. In some instances. Other mental disabilities like cerebal palsy are due to development problems as a child or during pregancy and the child may need physical therapy.

The kind of illness that makes you attack people - sounds like schizophrenia to me.

We need someone in the medical profession to clarify, of course.

Lock this metal sick case up for never

He's a human being. Not a monster or a creature.

He certainly needs help.

Its amazing how people are defending the hidden problem and under management of mental issues. If a mentally deranged man walks up to a 3 year old, lures the baby to a secluded area and attempts to kill this innocent baby, and people defend this man from others who give their honest opinion about this situation, that is just........wow. Yes he is a human, but his actions nor his mental disability should not be defended or protected.

p.s. I'm not targeting anyone in general.

He bad man! No good!

@ socrateos

"Problem is rather that Japanese people let "mentally disabled" wander around in public"

Yeah I see a lot of them, wandering, loitering, phishing etc, around in public, places, nooks and crannies, parks, etc, and they are free to roam the streets of japan ..aint japan just grand for them.

First of all, let's not assume they are Japanese. This might picture actual Japanese in a bad light.

Secondly, someone wants to protect the mentally ill? THEN CONFINE THEM AND CURE. Letting people with breaches in their conscious wander around is not "freedom", is a "ticking bomb".

"Police said the suspect, Takehisa Nomura, came across the boy and led him away to another part of the mall where he strangled the boy but left him after a few seconds"

"They said he has shown signs of being mentally disabled."

"Takehisa Nomura, the unemployed 46-year-old man"

Aw the poor , mentally disabled man. Sounds like he needs a new nice straight jacket.

All the new age, touchy-feely attitudes aren't going to change what this man did, and will probably attempt in the future given the chance.

Those that want to set him loose never have to explain themselves to parents who've suffered the unimaginable.

Too many Japanese people on this site trying to protect the very things that are obviously wrong with Japan. One of them is parenting. Allowing a young child to wander around on its own, whether through carelessness or intentionally, whether it is home from school or in a shopping mall, is just plain negligence and tantamount to child abuse. Too many people trying to protect a potential muderer. Maybe he had a bad day????????? OMG. Seriously. Like it is only a child and it is only a male child. Expendable are they? Disgusting attitude. May this evil never see the light of day again.

Why do Japanese parents let their little kids wander around shopping malls? I very often see 3-5 year olds wandering around by themselves. I also very often see little kids running through department store carparks. Of course there is the danger of kidnappings and this loon trying to kill the kid, but there are many other dangers as well. I'm extremely glad this kid was found safe and only slightly injured, but I'll bet this careless mother lets him wander around a department store alone again.

Lock him up, if not in prison, than in a mental institution at least until he's proven to not be a threat. If it can't be proven, don't let him out. And mom, keep an eye on your son.

lock him up. Don't let him out. Ever.

Why do Japanese parents let their little kids wander around shopping malls? ..

Problem is rather that Japanese people let "mentally disabled" wander around in public.