Man tries to stab tourist in front of A-Bomb Dome in Hiroshima

I thought we had one of these freaks on a crowded bus on the way home from Shibuya station last night. Seriously swinging off bars like a caged wild animal trying to get people to give up their seats for a young woman he didn't seem to know but seemed to be focused on. Really scary stuff but in the end seems like the Japanese way of non engagement worked as he seemed to run out of steam and left the bus after someone got up and let her have a seat.

These Japanese idiots who attack old defenseless people because they can’t pick on anyone their own size. I’d love it to happen in front of me.

Obviously, if in the back I’d have no chance, but being able to stop someone doing to someone else. Japanese people seem to run away rather than engage. I’m just saying if I saw something like this I’d try to intervene

I think many people, myself included, would probably panic in such a situation and not react as they would like to.

I wouldnt panic at all.

But I wouldn't intervene either, unless the perpetrator is attacking a relative, in that case nothing would stop me from saving my family's life, not even the fear of being sent to prison in case the perp falls head first/stabs himself while being restrained or some other 'misunderstanding' by the jpolice

The irony of it, such futile violence in the Peace Memorial park.....

Another deranged imbecile in need of psychiatric treatment.

It's lucky that someone was prepared to step up and disarm him.

Why was the location of this random stabbing attempt in the headline?

I guess “Man Tries to Stab Elderly Tourist” was to generic?

Sad stuff.

If he was a Japanese tourist from another country, he may have had difficult life just getting to see the memorial . . . .

What's with all those recent stabbings recently??

Society is unraveling, slowly, however it appears to be mainly the unemployed that are losing their minds. The government should be focusing on helping those unemployed to re-enter the work force and stop focusing bringing in cheap foreign labor. Starting by giving incentives to both the unemployed and employers, giving small tax breaks for small businesses for hiring the unemployed and directly putting money into the banks of the unemployed who go back to work subsidizing their pay up to one year. This would be a win/win the money earned would be staying in Japan and not sent abroad and instead stays in Japan and used in Japan, cuts down on potential crime and more.

To the jail with that loser clown!!..

These Japanese idiots who attack old defenseless people because they can’t pick on anyone their own size. I’d love it to happen in front of me.

Permit me to give the above commenter a price of advice. In Japan, don't get involved. If you have not been directly threatened the Japanese police will see it as interfering and one is liable to be arrested. Old hands in Japan will know what I mean.

Society is unraveling, slowly, however it appears to be mainly the unemployed that are losing their minds

But Tigerjane didn't you hear that now that the government has decided to stop its ultra easy monetary position, many zombie companies can finally go bankrupt and many workers will be sent into unemployment. But many were cheering this as it is a good thing. I agree with you that the government has to step up and help these people, but they won't and companies are just looking for the cheapest labour the can find. Society is in big trouble I fear.

This is extremely disturbing and I hope the tourist and family recover.

What is going on in Japan??? I thought Japan is one of the safest areas in the whole wide world. If we go back to the 1980s, this kind of thing was unheard of.

Are tourists even safe in Japan anymore??? I may be visiting Okinawa in August.

Something needs to be done so there is an absolute that these random attacks will never occur.

quote: The government should be focusing on helping those unemployed to re-enter the work force and stop focusing bringing in cheap foreign labour.

The guy in the article tried to stab someone in the back for no apparent reason. Would you want him working for you? This is why 5% unemployed is regarded as 'full employment'.

Labour shortages are so acute in most G7 countries that if people are unemployed, they might not want a job, need a job, or may simply be unemployable.

Many sectors are unable to recruit competent staff domestically and are now banned or surcharged out of migrant labour by their governments. In Brexit Britain farmers are selling good agricultural land for solar farms for lack of labour to harvest crops. Half the country doesn't have access to a dentist, GPs have insane workloads, pharmacists are shutting up shop, holiday parks and eateries are closing for want of staff. Train services have been cut due to a lack of drivers. Tradesmen have waiting lists for basic jobs. Nurseries are closing as migrant carers have been banned from bringing their children in with them. The G7 is killing its own economy in the name of tribal purity, saving Putin the effort.

As for being a 'have a go hero'. You stand a bit more chance of not being arrested in the West, but few countries have a right to self-defence, never mind a right to defend others. If you do want to be Batman, try to just calm or occupy the crazy/angry person until the police arrive. Japanese people avoid getting involved for a reason. It is much more difficult to restrain an armed nut and keep them alive/substantially unharmed, than to just lamp them with anything handy, saving innocent parties but despatching the perpetrator to the other side. Even if you get off, the legal costs and compensation could wipe out your savings. The law is all about due process. Justice is a bonus.

@baroque1888. Relax. Japan remains safer than most places, particularly if you look like a foreign tourist. There are random attacks everywhere. It is not possible to stop them. A percentage of people will always do stuff like this. Life involves risk.

MarkX, the ultra-loose policy with an interest rate of 1 percent will make a small company go bankrupt that is when it may need to close its doors. I would understand people making a mountain over this hike if it had been 2 or 3 percent or rapid interest rate hikes in a year like N. America did but this is not the case in either.

My idea not only giving tax breaks and giving work subsidies to the unemployed who get started back in the workplace but also counseling for that worker and making sure they are doing well until the 6-month mark until they are grounded in their work. Japan does not need a lot of cheap foreign labor; however, they need to get the homeless and or unemployed and plenty of that it seems back into the workforce with creative ideas.