Flowers and drinks continue to be left at the sight of last Tuesday's stabbing rampage in Kawasaki. Photo: FNN/YOUTUBE
crime

Suspect's motive for Kawasaki knife attack remains unclear

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The motive of the assailant in a knife attack this week in Kawasaki that left two dead and a dozen others injured remains unclear

RIP to the victims. Condolences to their families, friends and communities. Hopefully those injured can recover from this hideous event perpetrated by a sick individual.

Of course the investigators need to look for possible motives. By doing that they might be able to reduce the likelihood of similar occurrences.

My sense, however, is they'll not be able to find a 'motive' (i.e. motive used the way Agatha Christie and other writers wrapped up their mysteries). 

US investigators tried to find a motive to explain why the individual in Las Vegas who used a bump stock and semi-automatic weapons to murder over 50 people and wounded more than 400 did what he did. But could not find one.

In many cases traditional psychology has come up short in trying to explain mass murders and other extreme actions. It's past time to stop explaining events like this and others from a 'free will' (a notion like 'soul' that for some reason persists) standpoint and try instead to better understand the inordinate complexity of human 'wiring'.

Regardless of findings, crimes like this need to be prosecuted - fully. 

https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2019/03/philosophers-and-neuroscientists-join-forces-see-whether-science-can-solve-mystery-free

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Not much to go on is there?

The suspect is dead!

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Of course the investigators need to look for possible motives. By doing that they might be able to reduce the likelihood of similar occurrences.

Not here, they want to find an excuse to make themselves feel better by finding a reason to blame for his actions, because Japanese dont murder people like this!

While that may sound harsh, I heard words to that effect uttered by a coworker the other day.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Motive? Maybe because he was:

a) a nut case

b) crazy

c) a loner

d) a douchebag

e) all of the above

5 ( +7 / -2 )

It's reported that he had his insurance card in his pocket. He wanted to have treatment at hospital in case he failed to kill himself? no way. He seemed to want everyone to know who he was.

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I hope I'm wrong about this, but part of me wonders if this school was targeted out of a hatred of outside religious and/or foreign influence. There are some pieces of information that could lend toward that theory. Either way, he clearly had serious mental issues that were not diagnosed and therefore left untreated, such a common occurrence here in Japan.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

I have no doubt the true motive will never be known. He’s just a crazed loner that wanted to go out with his 15 minutes of fame.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Not here, they want to find an excuse to make themselves feel better by finding a reason to blame for his actions, because Japanese dont murder people like this!

Right. Keep telling yourself that and one day you might believe it. I’ve heard a bunch of different reasons from a bunch of different people, and not one of them came out with that. Not one.

Seriously? It sounds like someone needs to stop projecting their own feelings onto a country of 126 million individuals.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

To say the motive is not known is running away from responsibillties.

The fact they are parading they guys picture when he was in junior high almost 40 years ago tells us how detached the guy was from society and how nothing was done to make him become a member of society.

There are thousands of shut-ins like this guy who are like time bombs waiting to snap and go out on a rampage and if something is not done to make them participate in society, to make them know they are needed and not alone, I am afraid there will be more random attacks like this.

It is high time city social workers leave their offices and go out and court HIKIMORIS to become members of society.

Yes, it can be done if the will is there. I know nothing will be done.

The attention span of society is short and driven by the media, all it takes is the occurence of a new incident and all the media will devote all their attention to it and this incident will become distant memory.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

The guy put on such an aggressive face to everyone, but when the bus driver saw what was happening, rushed out and shouted, “What are you doing?”... suddenly confronted by authority(?) he ran off and killed himself.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

It's reported that he had his insurance card in his pocket. He wanted to have treatment at hospital in case he failed to kill himself? no way. He seemed to want everyone to know who he was.

Hell I hope when I die people come up with some excuse or rationale like this. I carry my insurance card in my wallet every single day, it's the same size as my credit card, my "T" point card, my Ponta card, my suica card, my Eddy card and all the rest.

It takes a pretty damn big leap of the imagination to suggest that he wanted treatment

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Hell I hope when I die people come up with some excuse or rationale like this. I carry my insurance card in my wallet every single day, it's the same size as my credit card, my "T" point card, my Ponta card, my suica card, my Eddy card and all the rest.

It takes a pretty damn big leap of the imagination to suggest that he wanted treatment

That's way I added "no way" after that. Besides it's also reported that the guy has never visit any hospital for last 10 years.

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Can anyone explain why the bottles of liquid are placed at the seen, is that some sort local custom.

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What annoys me the most about this guys action s is he's attached innocent school children, why didn't he go down to local yak meeting/office and kick off there? I find it very cowardly to attack young children.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Can anyone explain why the bottles of liquid are placed at the seen, is that some sort local custom.

Like the flowers and sweets, the drinks are intended as an offering to the dead. People like to offer stuff they imagine (or know) the deceased enjoyed in life, which is why you will often see things like packets of cigarettes and bottles of sake left on graves.

In the photo there seem to be quite a few bottles of Calpis and juice, which I imagine are intended for Hanako, while the cans of coffee and beer will have been left as offerings for Mr. Oyama.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Can barely see the point of leaving flowers, but food and beverages is completely pointless. Who's gonna drink them? If homeless people came and slowly starting to take the soft drinks, would it be offensive?

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

I hope I'm wrong about this, but part of me wonders if this school was targeted out of a hatred of outside religious and/or foreign influence.

That though crossed my mind to, and probably many others siliently. Mind you, Japan has had a diversity of religions for a couple of hundred years, and always had foriegn influence. As most commrntators suggest, I don't think we will ever really know.

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I was speaking to a Japanese friend yesterday, who mentioned that one of the two "cousins" the murderer lived with after his parents split up had been a pupil at Caritas. It is not beyond the realm of imagination that as a peculiar child, he might have been teased by this girl and/or her classmates (who were a year younger than him, I believe). He may have been harbouring a grudge against them all these years.

This murder, like every other that involves children, has shocked me to the core. My heart is breaking for the families of the two who were murdered, and for the poor children who were injured both physically and, no doubt, mentally.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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