crime

Elementary schoolgirl attacked by man while on her way to school in Tokyo

35 Comments

An elementary schoolgirl was attacked by a man as she walked to school in Tokyo’s Koto Ward on Friday morning. 

According to police, the incident occurred at around 7:50 a.m. in Ogibashi, Fuji TV reported. The girl, a 4th-grade student, told police that a man suddenly came up behind her, grabbed her left wrist and slashed the palm of her left hand with a box cutter, and then ran away without saying a word.

The child ran to her school nearby and told a teacher what had happened. The school alerted police.

Police said the girl’s wound is not serious but she was traumatized by the incident.

A witness described the assailant as being in his 20s, of thin build and was wearing a short-sleeved black shirt black pants and sneakers.  Police are examining street surveillance camera footage to try and identify the man.

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35 Comments
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I blame the person for their evil deeds, not things like, did he not get cuddled.

Some things are your fault!

Some people are evil!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Brian

I saw the same billboards and listened to the same music. He is the monster however

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@the person, I didn't agree with what he's done, I am simply asking whats going through his (small) mind, why? if we can find a trait with people like this, may be then stop further attacks, is it to do with work work over load, lack of sleep, bad parenting, to much manga, over sexualisation of children in magazines or bill boards?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Rain Wheway

Help? He needs to be put down like a rabid animal.

He waits for little girls who are children and walking alone then he cuts them and runs off. He will probably also get worse as his fascination with the suffering of others and bloodthirst grows.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I would like to ask him or a phycologist what the heck is going through this guys mind? there is something desperately wrong with him, he needs help big time!

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

It seems like every spring is the crazy season.

Terrible for an innocent little girl to be assaulted by a predatory adult like this.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I hope the person who committed this unspeakable act of cowardice is caught quickly and is punished to the fullest extent of the law. I’m response to the comment made by PUDUS: How unfair of you to assume everyone who is SOFA sponsored commits criminal acts. I have lived in Japan for 7 years under SOFA sponsorship. I and many of my colleagues are great citizens in our host nation. Yes it’s unfortunate that some SOFA sponsored individuals have committed crimes however all should not be judged by the actions of a few.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Everyone, please relax. Japan is a very safe country for kids. It's a simple fact.

I'm saddened by this girl being attacked in a seemingly random event and very glad to hear that her wounds were not serious. But the simple fact is that despite the front page news of this attack, it is an isolated event that although cannot be completely prevented, we need to focus on the fact that the other 14,999,999 school-aged children in Japan were not attacked yesterday. And I'd wager that the number of children injured in traffic accidents (walking, riding bikes, driving with no seatbeat) far outweigh the one box cutter attack in today's news.

So let's not shut up our children in the house just yet.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

This is crazy. I thought Japan was... "safe" ?!

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

That this is a rare event, in fact front page news, reveals a lot about Japan.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

I’m from the USA and I am always amazed by the fact that parents allow there young children to travel to and from school unescorted. It is the parent’s responsibility to make the time to ensure their young kids get to school and home safety.

My friend in Japan had to beat it into me that our daughters were safe to wander off together without adults. I finally got used to it. Fortunately, in Japan it's like it used to be in the US 30 years ago where it was safe to send your kids out to play before cell phones existed and told them to be back in time for dinner.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Slashing someone's wrist is attempted murder.

But yes, I can only echo the other posters' thoughts. We cannot allow indiscriminate crimes to control the way we live our lives. It is good for kids to walk to school, and attacks like this are exceptional enough for us to not give that up out of fear. The vast majority of abuse children are subjected to is conducted by people who know the child, parents, grandparents, uncles, teachers, priests, scout leaders, sports coaches etc., not disturbed people on the streets. The mad man in the bushes is the exception, not the rule.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I think the last sentence hit me. How about the many mass shootings at the schools? Many don't get home safely. Many parents are also gun carrying owners.

No society is perfect. America has gun control issues and the world is very much aware of this fact. But the focus of discussion is about how do we keep Japanese children safe on the way to and from school. I’m seeing a lot of people taking offense to the phrase “parental supervision”. These words seem to strike a nerve that people simply don’t want to deal with. Unbelievable! PROTECT YOUR CHILDREN!

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

Parents must have been hysterical

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Well, Japanese people have a very specific definition of freedom which is something like this: "I have the right, regardless of age or gender, to safely walk anywhere in my country alone at any time of day or night." This contrasts sharply with the American definition of freedom, which tends to revolve around the right not to pay any taxes or to buy a gun without any regulatory obstacles. Japanese are known to be steadfast in their refusal to cede control of their streets to depraved or violent individuals. Don't expect attitudes among parents to change much or at all.

It’s pretty obvious that you have a problem with Americans but let’s try to stay focused on the safety of Japanese children who are being abducted and murdered in broad daylight. More parental supervision is needed and less attitude about “refusal to cede control of the streets to violent individuals.” Your statement sounds good in theory but in reality children are being attacked and murdered. So, it is quite obvious that the people have already conceded the streets to these so called violent individuals. The evidence is quite clear and overwhelming.

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

Hope the police work on this quick. Catch him or it could very well happen again.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I live in a city of 1/10 Tokyo's size and its population and there were some incidents like this last summer and no assailant is arrested, still free to find other children. Parents should take care children not let them go/come alone the streets where's nobody around. Those perverts are pure insane but smart enough not be found, knowing also how to avoid cameras.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

So another piece of filth floats to the surface... Why? Why would anyone slash a little girl's hand and then run away? I know Japan has more than it's share of nutters committing random acts of violence... but why?

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Disillusioned

Another gutless coward picking on someone who cannot fight back. Yeah, Japan is a safe country - if you are a middle-aged man or as many would argue; if under S.O.F.A.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Someone with serious problems. Please catch this guy!

2 ( +3 / -1 )

In my opinion Japan does a good job of getting their kidz to school and back safely.

It doesn’t need wake up calls etc, since you can’t save everyone from every nutter all the time. But equating this with neglect and stupidity is ignorant from you who aren’t from here. The children are supervised, walk two by two, and cared for by neighbors and other kidz as much as is possible. I’m glad that it’s safe enough to enjoy the simple things in life, and no OLDMAN_13 and MASSWIPE, I don’t think here need to change to be more like wherever ur from.

Less crime than almost anywhere else.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

In the past few years there have been articles and videos on the vast differences between how very young children live in Japan compared to other countries, particularly how Japanese parents allow their children to roam everywhere unsupervised.

I hope news like these are a wake up call, that Japanese parents cannot be complacent and live in a bubble where they think society is completely safe. Things are different now.

-10 ( +2 / -12 )

Another gutless coward picking on someone who cannot fight back. Yeah, Japan is a safe country - if you are a middle-aged man.

-12 ( +2 / -14 )

Once they catch the guy, let's have her parents have a go at him with the box cutter.

Or let the judicial and penal system deal with him, rather the parents be done for senseless murder, hey?

6 ( +7 / -1 )

What a wicked thing to do!

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I’m from the USA and I am always amazed by the fact that parents allow there young children to travel to and from school unescorted. It is the parent’s responsibility to make the time to ensure their young kids get to school and home safety.

Well, Japanese people have a very specific definition of freedom which is something like this: "I have the right, regardless of age or gender, to safely walk anywhere in my country alone at any time of day or night." This contrasts sharply with the American definition of freedom, which tends to revolve around the right not to pay any taxes or to buy a gun without any regulatory obstacles. Japanese are known to be steadfast in their refusal to cede control of their streets to depraved or violent individuals. Don't expect attitudes among parents to change much or at all.

5 ( +11 / -6 )

This poor girl is the same age as our granddaughter who is living with us. I hope she doesn't have any lasting emotional problems because of this. Once they catch the guy, let's have her parents have a go at him with the box cutter.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Blue tarps: probably to protect the identity of the kids helping the police re-enactment of what happened.

Car... maybe lives there and was going to work. Seems to be a residential area.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

There are a lot of sick individuals out and about these days who prey on defenseless children like animals. I’m from the USA and I am always amazed by the fact that parents allow there young children to travel to and from school unescorted. It is the parent’s responsibility to make the time to ensure their young kids get to school and home safety.

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

What a monster! Thank goodness he only cut her hand. Catch this guy!

5 ( +8 / -3 )

Scumbag. probably too much of a coward to pick on anyone older than that. I hope they catch him and put him away for a long time. Poor kid

5 ( +8 / -3 )

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