Stabbing suspect says signals in his body told him to attack people

and there were people who said they felt sorry for the homeless.. most of the homeless many of whom live in the subway station are nuts.. clean up the subways of the homeless.. it is obviously not safe.

Scary.

Kimokekahuna Hawaii: the best way to "clean up" anywhere of homeless people is to make everyone in our communities feel wanted and useful. We're all part of the problem.

Very scary. I hope we will soon learn the cause for the attack.

There is no information yet on whether he was homeless.

Kimikekahara and tripbettle, where does it say he is homeless?

damn, another insane person going on a rampage. How many random stabbing sprees does that make now?

Safety Japan! Yeah, Japan is quite safe compared to other countries until some nut goes on a stabbing rampage, which happens two or three times a month. I see quite a few of these 'speaking in an unintelligible manner' type people around the stations and often wonder if they are mentally stable. Obviously, my concerns are validated.

Kimikekahara and tripbettle, where does it say he is homeless?

First I'd say drugs then drunk then homeless as the reason.

hereforever: I know he may not have been homeless, but I was just responding to Kimokekahuna Hawaii's blinkered and complacent view of who and what causes problems in society.

2 stabbing stories in as many days. Spring time must be upon us.

I'm glad no one was killed.

When will Japan step up and do something about the huge mental health problem here?? How many random stabbings in the last year alone? Stop sticking your heads in the sand and do something. People are stressed out and need help FFS.

That's scary, I use the train every day and I'll be watching out for crazy people from now on..

According to TV news reports, he was in fact restrained by civilian passersby before the police arrived. He was apparently counter-attacked with one of those plastic rods used to hold up street-side advertising banners, and then subdued and held for those "10 police officers". The TV news details paint quite a different picture of the police vs. citizen involvement.

Balefire: Thanks for the report. Good on whomever subdued him. As for the plastic rod for advertising, hopefully the company in question gives the civilian a few freebies.

Maybe another attempted murderer attracted to the death penalty.

I think society needs to be aware of why random stabbings occur and what the mentality behind those who choose to let off at innocent people. It ultimately comes down to care and respect for people in our community.

Triplebeetle@ I think your right!

(no)Care in the community ! Re-educate people that it is not shameful to seek help with mental problems, there is a sickness in society, when these issues are considered shameful and taboo. Things must change.

My wife commutes through there every day...this particular incident hit a little closer to home than most of them do. I think the only lesson anyone can clearly take away from this and other similar events is that it's incredibly important to be aware of your surroundings, always. A quick reaction could save your life.

A little too close to home for me too borax. That is one of our local stations and I was there just yesterday :(

Maybe another attempted murderer attracted to the death penalty.

Yes, perhaps yet another attempt at suicide by death penalty. Or it could just be a paranoid schizophrenic who's lost his caretaker and gone off his meds too long. Or both.

Glad no one was too seriously injured, and that folks were quick enough to react with what was to hand.

Spring is in the aaiiiiir...Tis the season chaps. Marbles being lost left, right and centre! The bloke having a gang past suggests that he wasn't particularly well hinged in the first place but as to why he suddenly went off...? Well, we may never know and it may not be all that complex. Very unfair to blame homelessness...very presumptious to assume alcohol or drug use/abuse...So, with the present information..Im going to speculate hes an ex-gangster who has gone crackers.

Hopefully the wounded are healed and can do their daily life activities in peace again.

sometimes it would be better to take other transports,,bus, taxi, or even walk/run..:))

the best way to "clean up" anywhere of homeless people is to make everyone in our communities feel wanted and useful. We're all part of the problem

All of us, including the stab-happy people.

If you get stabbed in the back, all bets are off, but here are some things that might help.

Use your bag as a shield. I usually have a backpack with a plastic binder for documents. Not 100% but a lot better than nothing. You're going need a pretty good knife to get through it.

Unless you can run really fast (good if you can do it), always face the attacker. If he/she lunges etc, sidestep/pivot like a matador (sorry, this might sound ridiculous but it's the best way I can think to describe the movement. Most martial artists will know what I mean). Better to be grazed than cut or sliced open with full force. Keep in mind, that a knife is a short range weapon (unless you can throw it with accuracy). It's a lot harder to use a knife than people think. Remain calm. A bonus is that others can also run away or help subdue the assailant while he/she is distracted.

I saw somebody suggest blinding powder. Hollywood material if you can pull it off. There are other weapons that you can legally carry in full view at all times that can help. I won't go into details - use your imagination. (Okay, here's one - try kicking the knees/shins as hard as you can) Just the fact that you are also armed, gives him/her pause and you an added advantage.

@ReformedBasher - funny, I was just thinking I wouldnt have a clue what to do if someone came at me with a knife - and here you are posting what looks to me to be brilliant sensible advice. Sensible because all the martial arts training I did years ago was next to useless unless you have brute strength and/or the ability to calm yourself to the point where you CAN think clearly - which I suggest for anyone training less than 20 years is probably not possible - I know I would panic!

But simple suggestions like using a handbag as a shield and side stepping a lunge - that IS instinctive and makes perfect sense. And I never even thought of buying time and distracting him/her to allow others to subdue the attacker. Seems like in this case passersby actually DID do something so hats off to them.

Now where is someone with a Taser or a can of Mace when you need one!

Oh - one more thing. Powder is all well and good, but if any ladys handbag is anything like mine then unless you walk around with it in your hand poised and ready you would have to spend about 5 minutes digging through all the crap accumulated in the handbag in order to find the stuff!

Signals, eh? Muscle memory perhaps?

@ChibaChick

Anything you can use to distract or incapacitate is good. Powder or a spray is iffy, you have to be close to use it and wind can be a problem too. Something hard and sharp is good, even if it's made of wood or hard plastic etc.- think pointy objects. They just have to hurt to make people think twice.

Best defence of all is lots of space between you and them though.

BTW, I hope the guy who hit your kid with a bag meets with bad karma someday.

Many killers, when asked why they did what they did, will answer "I don't know". A gem of a movie about this was titled "Frailty" It has a great cast and a hole-proof plot. In this case, GOD was telling who to kill.

Loony... fine saying he was receiving signals, but why was he carrying a knife in the first place? To peel a grape? This guy had the intention of stabbing someone and he didn't care who, that much is obvious.

but why was he carrying a knife in the first place

My money's on signals. It's signals all the way down.

he received ultrasonic sound waves in his body telling him to stab people.

Yeah, well, I am getting ultrasonic sound waves in my body telling me this guy is a complete loon!

di-di-di-dit dah-dah-dah di-dah-di-dit dah-di-dah-dah di-di-dit di-di-di-dit di-dit dah !

Borax - A quick reaction could save your life.

Yeah, it could save your life, but that same reaction could cost you your life! When confronted by an emotionally unstable wombat wielding a knife, discretion is the better point of valor. Just get the heck away from them.

So what was his sentence the FIRST time he stabbed someone? I'm going to go with he made and apology and got a suspended sentence. 2005 isn't that far off. Why on earth was he not getting help for his mental issues? You think normal and sane people stab folks not once but twice?? Japan, mental health awareness and services please. Stop with the stigmas or many more will be injured or die.

BTW, I hope the guy who hit your kid with a bag meets with bad karma someday.

Thank you RB. I think I can count on it! Karma never lets me down. Sadly never lets ME get away with anything either, but thats a whole other issue! :)

Happily he is fine and no long terms repurcussions. I think I was more shaken up than him!

Stabbing suspect says signals in his body told him to attack people

Me Thinks about 1 out of every 6 Natives has those kinds of thoughts running through their minds....

Mental Illness is a Disease, NOT a National Point of Pride for the Nation to Rally around! It goes hand-in-hand with common-sense. When you start having those kinds of thoughts it's time to seek Professional Mental Help, Not tell yourself, it's just the Japanese way of thinking and they should Gaman!

@smithinjapan My pleasure. I see that the article has been updated to reflect the actual police involvement; good on JT for the updating.

I agree with you about the passerby(s) whose heroic action probably prevented further harm. He/she/they certainly deserve some sort of official praise/reward, if for no other reason than to encourage others to act in similar situations.

And before anyone says so, yes, I'm aware that for many running to safety may well be the best action to take. Nevertheless, depending on the situation and the individual, actively helping to protect others against a violent criminal is an admirable thing, risky though it may be.

Another nutter. They're everywhere.

Reformed basher.

" There are other weapons that you can legally carry in full view at all times that can help "

A sturdy umbrella would be a good start. On sunny days, maybe I should get used to carry a nice tripod to help with photography. That would certainly be nice to have when suddenly faced with a stabby lunatic.

And I like the response of the passersby who grabbed the traffic poles... good thinking!

saying that he received ultrasonic sound waves in his body telling him to stab people.

sounds legit

Spring is JAPAN is a time for all the CRAZIES to come out of the woodworks, you know during the WINTER it was too cold for all of the nutters to go out and about doing horrible things, but now the weather is so great but CAREFUL!!

He was either high on something, or aliens have taken over his body.

He should ask for help for his ultrasonic commands then he would not acted out but treated his condition.

Scary...

Have any of you spent time in the slammer? esp. n Japan. hope not. anyway, all inmates do is talk and gossip, talking bout, what could have been. telling each other tall tales, of stabbing people, credibility thing, behind the wall. Guy, gonna get 4 meals, a day, be popular, even some prison guards, gonna be scared of em!, he ll b living it up, and you will be paying for his Club Med, like stay. No of the injuries, life threatning, cause if he really wanted to kill, he would have.

No hanging, lethal injection, He just the man, in the prison, and I may say, a very popular one. What 10 years in the slammer, please, you have nt heard the last of him. Nepalese man, killed in Osaka, how many years did the boy and girl get?

Should remember that an estimated 15% of prehistoric humans are estimated to have been killed by other humans. What separates us from them is a thin layer of so called "civilization". When people drop out of society and are no longer able to communicate, civilization has no meaning to them.

keep this guy behind bar till he forget about getting such signals again...

"he was quoted by police as saying that he received ultrasonic sound waves in his body telling him to stab people."

"He was arrested once before in 2005 for stabbing a man in a pachinko parlor."

Heavens to Murgatroyd!,

Could he have been abducted twice by aliens, and continued to recieve ultrasonic sound waves? Which may have also accounted for his unsual strenght requiring 10 police to restrain him.