crime

Man stabbed in back while trying to stop fight in Shibuya

33 Comments

A man was stabbed in the back after he tried to break up a fight between two other men in Tokyo's Shibuya district on Tuesday morning.

According to police, the man, who is in his 20s, tried to intervene in an altercation between two men on Dogenzaka near JR Shibuya Station at about 5 a.m., Fuji TV reported. During the melee, he was stabbed in the back. The assailant fled and got into a taxi, police said. The second man also left the scene.

The victim was taken to hospital but his injuries are not life-threatening, police said. He told police he didn't know either of the men, Fuji TV reported.

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33 Comments
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I tried to break up a fight in Kyoto late one night, where some blokes had surrounded a guy in a doorway and were kicking the sh1t out of him. My Japanese friends pulled me away. "It's not worth the risk," they said. So I put my fingers into my mouth and whistled the best police whistle I could manage.

This explains why the J public is often reluctant to get involved. Hope they catch the CREEP though.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

People who use knives are gutless and weak.

Stab some one you are are a flea, stab someone in the back you are the worst flea of them all.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

that's why my wife always tell me not to get involved into fights where chinpira are around. they often carry concealed knives and are stupid enough to use them

4 ( +5 / -1 )

It's you damned if you do and damned if you don't. I always hear people saying "why do people just stand around and not help" and then there's another camp where people do help and they get injured and get criticized for it. Which leads to people standing around and not helping other folks to begin with. It's a cycle.

I commend the good Samaritan for helping and wish him a speedy recovery.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

The cemeteries are filled with people who thought they were doing right by getting involved in things that weren't their >business in the first place.

And the cemeteries are filled with people who got killed because no one intervened or bothered to help as well. It works all around.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

There is a difference between stopping kids attacking another and stopping a fight between grown men.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

The cemeteries are filled with people who thought they were doing right by getting involved in things that weren't their business in the first place.

To quote the ghost of Marley in Dickens' "A Christmas Carol", "MANKIND is your business!"

The soul-less husks that would watch someone else get pummeled and not do anything because it is "none of their business" are scum. They don't deserve the right to call themselves "human".

3 ( +4 / -1 )

If it's someone I knew, I would intervene, but strangers, no.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

The man was stupid, yes, but you have to admire his courage. I hope he recovers soon.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Wow...I knew taxis here in Tokyo are fast drivers, but I didn't realize that you can use them as a get-away option.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

just call 110 for godsake. not worth intervening, especially at 5 am in Shibuya...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

And, what is the difference between stopping kids attacking another and a fight between men?

The answer is already in our question.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Good for the guy for trying to help. Japan, time to get cameras in the station. Safety Japan it is not.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

"No good deed goes unpunished."

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Walking up past dogenzaka as I do time to time to get home after the trains have stopped I have seen two fights or at least disagreements getting very heated, knowing some of the things that "go on" in the area, I walked back to the Koban to tell the on duty cops... they couldn't have cared less.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

So this guy got in a taxi? Easy like that ? No questions asked...

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Every taxi I've ridden had a camera filming customers. Just saying, in case there are J-cops who would actually try to find the perp instead of waiting for him to have a guilty conscience (never going to happen) and turn himself in voluntarily. I too want a job where others would do my job but I'd get the paycheck.

A while back people were lamenting on JT forum that nobody tried to stop those kids from trying to drown one in river. I wonder if this time the same people are going to warn to stay away, possibly even ignore those in trouble.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Shibuya?? 5AM?? My guess all of these fools had been drinking until very late into the morning, they were all too drunk to even really know what the hell they were doing, this kind of BS happens ALL THE TIME, better to just let these fools beat their own brains own, they can one day get that DARWIN award. IMHO

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Agreed tmarie, though Good Samaritans attempting to break up fights frequently and unwittingly become participants in them, with one or both of the combatants turning on the peacemaker, as happened in this case.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The use of knife to murder or hurt somebody bad intentionally is everyday occurance in Japan. Japan goverment should enforce much stricter law for people than carry conceal large knife in the public (other than work) than they already have. They should treated as a loaded weapon. The goverment should hold these people accountable for those who are careless with knife with stiff penalty. I realize that there is a prevailing attitude in Japan, that citizens should be free from government control in every aspect of our lives as much as possible. Well, that sounds wonderful in theory but it just isn't very practical. The important thing we keep forgetting in this kind of debate is that J-goverment need to pass laws to ensure citizens own safety, and enhance the quality of lives. There is enough everyday knife violence in Japan that better supports the argument.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Stabbing someone in the back is the biggest dog act out there. Obviously wimpy little low-level yak "tough guys" who probably weigh 45kg and have to use weapons to fight. Hope the poor innocent bloke gets well soon.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Stuff gets real around Sh1buya 9 bro. I don't dare interfere especially knowing the stuff and people involved, I'm to small anyway.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

As some have already stated this is a tough call. To what level one should get involved definitely depends on the circumstances. However, I think at minimum one should at least notify the police. To do absolutely nothing is detrimental to society.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Well said Badge213.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The soul-less husks that would watch someone else get pummeled and not do anything because it is "none of their business" are scum. They don't deserve the right to call themselves "human".

First of all, unless you are quoting another story, this article does not mention anything about anyone getting pummeled

Secondly, unless you are talking about breaking two 13 year olds, or something of that nature, you had better be trained and prepared for every possible scenario that can possibly happen to you, if you intervene in a physical altercation between two strangers. Even a single police officer will not attempt to intervene, until there is at least one other officer, and they are armed, and trained (Although, I'm not so sure about JCops) to handle these kinds of things. So obviously this guy wasn't prepared, and he found out, what can happen, He's not only lucky to be alive, but lucky he didn't get his spinal cord severed, and spending the rest of his life in a wheel chair.

Over what, because, "MANKIND is his business...?"

0 ( +0 / -0 )

if you are going to break up a fight kicks in the balls from behind is the best way. Once one drops the other dude will 90% of the time stop as well, but like my police friend says, call the cops and take pictures is the best thing.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

that's why my wife always tell me not to get involved into fights where chinpira are around.

Talk about stating the obvious. Why would anyone??

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

I don't intervene unless i am under attack...do-gooders usually wind up in the hospital or in the morgue...step back and call the cops!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

A man was stabbed in the back after he tried to break up a fight between two other men in Tokyo’s Shibuya district on Tuesday morning.

Didn't they learn this lesson like when they were 8 years old...? Unless you are the police, you never try to break up a fight "between two strangers," because 9 times out of 10, you will be the one that ends up getting hurt...

This is a cardinal rule in the states, he's lucky he wasn't killed.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Why do people think the Guardian Angels been patrolling shibuya, shinjuku, roppongi and other areas for years. They also pick up drunks and put them into an ambulance.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

And, what is the difference between stopping kids attacking another and a fight between men?

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

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