Man arrested for fatal knife attack says he just wanted to kill someone

"He said he didn’t know the victim and just felt like killing someone and that anyone would do." Police said Hanami had also set fire to a futon in his apartment before the attack.

Mental illness really needs addressing in Japan not just brushing it under the carpet. RIP to the victim.

We see cases like these from time to time but I wonder what conclusions have been drawn in the past about such people. Is this person a psychopath I assume? Anything more than that? I wonder what signs of psychopathy might be noticed before the fact. Scary.

He said he didn’t know the victim and just felt like killing someone and that anyone would do.

Sounds like criminal punishments including death penalty don't have crime deterrent effects for this sicko. Very serious problem.

That poor man and his poor family. A terrible thing to happen. Masuyama was walking home, maybe a but tired, maybe a bit tipsy, looking forward to bath and bed, but instead ended his life on a pavement.

This kind of attack, plus being pushed off the train/subway platform by someone behind me, is one of my daily fears in Japan. Statistically unlikely, but still... It is a frightening world already, without having to add to it.

"Hanami walked to a nearby koban (police box), showed the police officers two knives and told them what he had done."

Now that's a good Lad, always turn yourself in. Sir Disillusioned, prophesied decades ago: 1 out of 3 is nutz.

Psychiatry or psychopathology need a new field to study about these people. These people are difficult to understand with traditional medicine.

Based on current form, this seem about the only way the Japanese Police will believe you have killed someone. Present yourself, plus murder weapon, plus the victim's location, plus your motive. Save them all the work. Without this complete a resume, they'll simply turn you away.

I in no way condone murder but to instantly label this:

Mental illness really needs addressing in Japan not just brushing it under the carpet.

Sounds like you had a previous bias This article has no mention of illness. Is it not logical that the order of this world turns people generally crazy over night. I myself have never done anything bad. Because of that I always think of what would happen. I sort of feel tempted to try but then my sanity kicks in. This man slipped but is in no way ill. Plus the fact he turned himself in, further shows how he knows acceptable morales and chose willingly not to follow them.. Was he stressed: yes, is there any correlation that he is mentally ill: no.

This man slipped but is in no way ill.

How would you know that? I am not sure what category someone like this falls into. There are people who are schizophrenic and in that case we can identify one kind of pathology. But, I am curious if he is not that sort of person then what is he? I don't know if psychopathy is a definition beyond mental illness. Just a personality type? If so, there must be some fantastic research going on about it. What is it? There's a great book by Jon Ronson on this but the book points to grey areas and more questions.

@Kobe bar owner - Mental illness really needs addressing in Japan not just brushing it under the carpet. RIP to the victim.

it is addressed! Doctors give out antidepressants and all kinds of other mental health drugs like candy. According to a report released a couple of years ago, 27% of Japanese adults have some kind of mental illness. This makes Japan the world's largest island asylum. Every summer there are 3 or 4 (or more) of these "I just wanted to kill someone" attacks. What is wrong with the society that produces these kinds of psychos? Yeah, murders happen in other countries too, but I can only recall 2 or 3 fitting this scenario in over 50 years where I come from. I've been in Japan for a little over a decade and this scenario has repeated itself scores of times. " Kasumigaseki, we have a problem!"

He can join the Self Defense Force if he desired to kill someone.

Folks these kind of attacks are usually pretty simple to explain, its because of the ""pressure cooker"" Japan is that a certain percentage SNAP & lash out, this has been happening for decades, expect more of the same, be safe & watch out for the ones who have lost it, their numbers are increasing daily...

If these guys are so keen on killing someone and anyone, why don't they at least seek out someone who might not be missed so much? He could go to any entertainment district and have their choice of thugs and gangsters. Like Death Note. That would be 2 birds with one knife. Why choose the innocent?

@japan 127

"I myself have never done anything bad."

Not all people are so saintly though.

According to a report released a couple of years ago, 27% of Japanese adults have some kind of mental illness. This makes Japan the world's largest island asylum. Every summer there are 3 or 4 (or more) of these "I just wanted to kill someone" attacks. What is wrong with the society that produces these kinds of psychos?

What's wrong with the kind of society that labels people with mental illnesses (including depression) as "psychos"?

"Just felt like killing someone"...we would say "then why not start with yourself"? Because he was programmed to kill his victim who had paid his life debt and therefore was dispatched more quickly than many. It is the only thing that makes any sense. We are just like pieces on a chess board and we think we are self directed.

What's scary , it will probably be back on the street after a while ....