Suspected of violating laws related to acts of violence, the first trial for company employee Yoshihito Harada, 25, was held at the Nagoya district courthouse on April 16. Harada stands accused of puncturing the tires of parked cars that were driven by women in an effort to strike up conversations with the drivers. When asked if there was any truth to the indictment, Harada admitted, “It’s true, I did it.”
According to the opening statement by prosecutors, between April 2011 and December 2012, Harada used a screw driver or other sharp object to puncture the tires of five different cars. The cars had all been parked outside supermarkets in the cities of Miyoshi, Nisshin and Toyota, Aichi Prefecture. In all cases the stated reason was so that Harada could establish contact with the women.
When the women returned to their cars from the supermarket, Harada would approach, calling out, “Looks like you’ve got a flat. Let me fix it for you.” While changing the tire he would strike up a conversation with the women and exchange phone numbers with them. One woman who fell victim to Harada’s scheme told a female friend of hers, “I recently got a flat and a man offered to change it for me.” Upon hearing the story the friend exclaimed, “The same thing happened to me!” Suspecting a scam, the women reported the matter to police who launched an investigation.
Harada appeared in court wearing a gray shirt and slacks. At times it appeared he would break down in tears. When questioning the defendant about further similar offenses, his lawyer said, “There were about 1,000, weren’t there?” Out-of-court negotiations are proceeding with other victims.
Source: Esuteru
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47 Comments
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Knox Harrington
Sound like a BS story to me.
Perhaps he did this a few times, and that's dysfunctional enough, but 1000 times? Come on...
SauloJpn
This is the worst pick up line ever!!! If I had to guess a number between 0 and 1000 for the times this guy got any action (apart from changing tires) I would say ZERO!!! He should be thrown in jail for that reason alone!!!
Maria
His own lawyer said this? That's not very defendy of him, is it.
Yurie Yoshida
Wow :D Am i the only one here who finds it kinda sad that its the only way he can aproach women? :D
Wolfpack
It never ceases to amaze me now often Japanese criminals will readily admit to their transgressions whereas in the West the mentality is to fight tooth and nail even when it's plainly clear that the person is guilty. I like that about Japan.
Balefire
@Yurie Yoshida No, you're not; I find it very sad, too. Pathetic, really.
@Maria I was thinking the same thing. That sounds more like what you'd expect to hear the prosecutor saying. Perhaps it's a mistranslation, but I don't see how that could happen. Actually, if it's accurate, Harada deserves no pity for the crimes but some pity for the quality of his defense lawyer, IMO.
combinibento
Had his plan worked he would have had a good year.
badmigraine
The puncturing of women's tires is textbook Freudian sublimation.
Wakarimasen
Do we know if any of these encounters resulted in dates or the like?
HonestDictator
@combinibento nice pun. I wonder how many Goodyears he actually did have...
Jack Stern
I used to carry jumper cables to help start someone who had battery trouble. Never got any phone numbers tough. Hope there won't be any copy cats from the tire slasher.
nath
WOW! I busted up laughing as soon as I read he headline. LOL!
papigiulio
1000 Tires? that is a fulltime job. 1000 / 4 = 250 cars minimum. Did some of those women carpool or something?
Eric Schneider
OK, this is just weird. You can't make this stuff up.
Laguna
So, he looked deflated and his own defense fell flat.
Yubaru
Seems to me he had his priorities mixed up all along. He wants to stick things into women but used the wrong tool in the wrong place. He needs to be sent back to school.
nath
With the high price of tires here that could be 7 million Yen in damage alone.
The Chronic
I wonder how many women he actually scored using this technique!? LOL!!!
Cos
Really sick. I had a friend that was silly as he was proposing help to women that had a baby and well, that worked with certain women... but he got his nose broken by a baby's father and that kind of troubles. Now this guy, it's a disease maybe ? Like the firemen that provoke arsons so they get work to do.
jonobugs
Well, aside from actually being the cause of the damage, his idea of meeting women is not too far off. Sadly, it's just one step away from lighting fires just so you can be a hero...
Ewan Huzarmy
I don't believe this tale, I think rocket news have taken this from an old 'urban myth' and changed it slightly. Unless of course, the culprit heard that same tale and thought that it would be an effective way to meet women (only not attempt to kill them).
CruisinJapan
Ewan, don't be rash in your judgment. This is a true story.
http://hochi.yomiuri.co.jp/topics/news/20130416-OHT1T00192.htm
nath
Laguna:
Please spare us the tiresome puns.
So, he looked deflated and his own defense fell flat.
smithinjapan
Wolfpack: "It never ceases to amaze me now often Japanese criminals will readily admit to their transgressions whereas in the West the mentality is to fight tooth and nail even when it's plainly clear that the person is guilty. I like that about Japan."
I suppose you don't mind many are forced confessions.
Robert Dykes
Do you have ANY idea how much damage that is? Chances if you tire is slightly worn you need to replace two tires. depending on the car. a consecutive estimate at 20,000 yen a tire (mine cost closer 30,000 yen). times 1000, 20,000,000 yen. or 200,000$
soldave
Another Japanese guy taking advantage of a slashed rubber with girls...
dcog9065
Haha, wow that is dedication!
Someone should have just referred him to Japan Lair..
megosaa
What's the name of the law firm that represents him? Pray do let us know so if we ever need a lawyer we would know whom NOT to contact!
Mirai Hayashi
wow...1000? he must've been really lonely
JA_Cruise
Just go match.com
nath
The wheels on the car go round and round!
Cortes Elijah
That's just desperate.
realdoll
I knew a guy who did this and actually got married... later told his wife about it and they laugh about it. She thought it was romantic.
hobart_mark
Man, I have to try that. Great idea....
Open Minded
But the fact of the matter is that this guy must be good now in changing wheels of any car model! However I would not say he is ready for F1 pit stop!
Alejandro Dela Cruz
HE HAS SOME POWER!!!!!!!
1000 tires? using screw? Holy crap....
Psabeyr Ningombam
Ahhhh, he's such a hopeless bummer
Noliving
Who said anything about it being his only way he can approach women? He probably tried it over and over again not because it was his only way but because he found it to be extremely effective way to setup dates.
Cortes Elijah
He was a businessman? I used to be surprised when I read businessmen doing things like that...but after living in Japan for a while...and hearing 100s of businessmen talking nonsense to themself on the train for hours I'm not surprised.
nath
Forever alone.
SuperLib
He was apparently trying to unlock some kind of achievement.
Word has it he's going to try to punch holes in the prosecution's case. 2013 won't be a Goodyear for him.
pixfix
what a tiresome story. after the crime he dun lop off his ears. rubber stamp him guilty and wheel him away
ChibaChick
I too would be really curious to know how many times this actually worked!
cramp
if the women haven't been so gullible to his scam maybe he wouldn't have been so encouraged to continue
but i applaud his mettle, its not easy work changing that many tires...musta been worth the poon
cwhite
sounds like they decided to book him for all the unsolved tire incidents over the last decade so they can chuck out the paperwork. A little bit of coercion and sleep deprivation is all you need to get that 99.99% confession rate.