Man arrested for bullet train arson in Kyushu; says he wanted to imitate last week's attack

Here we go again , i was discussing yesterday with a Japanese friend and we were expecting that such an accident will happen but not so soon . This is getting ridiculous, security system in train stations isn’t that efficient, what i see is just checking gaijins resident cards and their wallets than checking passengers bags . In many countries police has the right to check belongings if there is something suspicious or even ordinary way , but unfortunately in my 6 years here in japan can’t see that , and it will easily happen again , the matter question is when . As much as japan is safe country but it s not a reason to ignore more control to public areas .

Well, this began 2015, remember? A woman was killed on the bullet train when a man killed himself by "fire suicide", she was on a peace pilgrimage.

@Ghaith

Do you really see police checking gaijins' resident cards and their wallets at stations? I have been here 46 years and have never seen that.

What happened to “Strengthened Vigilance” ?? - No worries for the Transport Ministry. Just 7 days ago they “asked”/passed the responsibility to prevent such incidents to the train lines:

“Following the incident, the transport ministry asked all the railway companies in Japan to strengthen vigilance to ensure safety.”

https://japantoday.com/category/crime/update1-suspect-in-tokyo-train-attack-says-he-adores-batman-villain-joker

Hello Kitty 321Today 05:14 pm JST

@Ghaith

Do you really see police checking gaijins' resident cards and their wallets at stations? I have been here 46 years and have never seen that.

Only have been checked for airplanes. Nothing with Shinkansen

I feel safer in Japan than any other country I have lived in or visited, but I still watch my back and my wife's back while remaining aware of my surroundings, especially on trains and around train stations. Though I worry about the wack with a knife or a petrol bottle and butane lighter, It's reassuring to know there is little to no chance a wack with a semi-automatic is lurking somewhere waiting to spray rounds into the crowd, like I worried whenever I was in the US. Hopefully Japanese lawmakers will continue their policies of limiting who can possess a gun.And find ways to help the '"Don't like Mondays" (Boomtown Rats) wacks, ready to take their frustrations out on others, assuming those at risk of going far or farther wack can be helped.

Suicidal tendencies phenomenon is the real pandemic in Japan.

Everyone can be a ticking bomb and take innocents life for no reason.

I actually feel safer in countries where you know where not to go, who to avoid.

So what's the name of this copycat?

There is no way to have efficient security against this kind of loon. Just keep your eyes open.

Kyakusenbi_ArimasuToday  05:19 pm JST

Hello Kitty 321Today 05:14 pm JST

@Ghaith

Do you really see police checking gaijins' resident cards and their wallets at stations? I have been here 46 years and have never seen that.

Only have been checked for airplanes. Nothing with Shinkansen

I think that is standard for everyone travelling on airplanes that their residents cards etc are checked surely?

I think that is standard for everyone travelling on airplanes that their residents cards etc are checked surely?

Nope, on domestic flights I've never been asked for anything more than my ticket and boarding pass.

Yes, expectable….every standard card deck has at least two jokers, you know. lol

Ooh oooh, I saw on the news, some cool guy started a fire. I wanna be just like him and try it!!!

Is what 12 year old boys say. Not 69 year old men (morons?). But I guess I’m wrong………

When something like this happens does anyone do anything to stop it? I never hear about a passenger grabbing one of these guys and putting a stop to his mischief. In this case who was first on the scene with a fire extinguisher? Or did the passengers wait for the train crew to show up and take charge?

"he "wanted to imitate" the recent knife and arson attack on a train "

J land is done....

@Ghaith

Same thing happened to me. They even asked for my employee details with the explanation that it was "because of the upcoming rugby championship". As if that's what was making me suspicious and they were helping the community by humiliating me in front of other commuters.

Either way, I don't think police occasionally (and unjustifiably) asking non-Japanese for their details is really relevant to these attacks. Unless there are checks like at airports (which I hope there won't be), the only way to avoid this kind of things happening again is prevention through means other than surveillance, such as mental health support.

"A number of attacks on trains and station premises in the Tokyo area have occurred in recent years. A man stabbed and slashed 10 passengers in August on an Odakyu Electric Railway commuter train in the capital's Setagaya Ward."

wow

"A number of attacks on trains and station premises in the Tokyo area have occurred in recent years. A man stabbed and slashed 10 passengers in August on an Odakyu Electric Railway commuter train in the capital's Setagaya Ward."

All done by troubled Japanese but foreigners that being checked from time to time.

Lunatics come all colors and sizes just as it is on this board, LOL

Glad no one was injured. Plain clothed officers would be a bit handy with the current JR environment.

Those professing a vigilante response, apparently consider such to be a viable scenario, which it isn't. The appropriate response is to press the emergency buzzer and/or contact the police. As an example: in Portland, Oregon, on the local train, several passengers attempted to confront an individual who had been verbally harassing two passengers, the individual, after being shoved to the ground by the passengers, pulled out a knife, killed two of the good Samaritans and severely wounded the third. In fact, the passengers who had been the focus of his verbiage had already exited the train and were in no imminent danger.

In Japan, the level of violence and incidence of physical assault with weapons are minimal, almost non-existent in a population of 127 million.

Be alert. And run. Violent lunatics are to be avoided.

Here it comes....x-ray and baggage checks at the gates of train stations. Your work commute just got 30 minutes longer.

spinning plates: "Here it comes....x-ray and baggage checks at the gates of train stations. Your work commute just got 30 minutes longer."

Will NEVER happen... not with the threat of cutting down business on the rails, and it would even here as people sought out alternatives. They'll talk about it, but they would never do it.

In any case, if these guys really want to commit suicide, please do it while not including others. I really don't wish anyone to do it at all -- seek help instead! But if you MUST do it, leave others alone, please.

Anyone that tries to do this should be hung.

Very worrisome. What is coming next???.

"started a fire on a shinkansen (bullet train) in southwestern Japan"

WTH , they are going nuts over there.

they live among us…

here I am, free to do whatever I want and hey? what’s that? Tokyo Joker sets fire on train?

Mmmm… let me do exact the same so I can be hated by the whole country and lose my freedom for a couple of years just like this guy!

they live among us

Seems like the crazies are out in force.

@Hello Kitty 321

Of Course, I have been checked 4-5 times around Ikebukuro, Shinjuku areas.

I think its a good move. But they need to check Japanese too for prevent this kind of incidents.

Mental health issues are not easily recognised in Japan as the west.

The culture does not encourage people to seek help.

For example, I have only known two people in thirty years admit to being on medication for mental issues-it is not talked about.

There needs to be more recognition and help for those with mental ailments.

＠ Dukeleto

He said train stations, not airports

@Prasheen Shiranga

He said in railway stations, not on the streets.

That being so, I have not been stopped and asked for my gaijin card for 45 years.

With the way the other story was reported on the news, I told my Japanese friend that there may be a copycat soon, smh. This didn't have to happen.