Woman stabbed in back while walking along Tokyo street

Wow! THis is not a nice thing, stabbing someone in the back! I hope the police catch the criminal!

What the hell kind of knife are the knuckleheads using? 3/4" deep stab wound!

Sounds like he needs a place to stay. Physic ward?

I hope so too, that's scary. One must be careful at all times these days, even in very crowded areas like Ikebukuro.

Exactly where in Ikebukuro did this happen? It would be nice to have some details.

Always be alert anywhere in Japan at all hours - nuff said .

These guys always pick on seemingly defenceless people. It would be funny if he picked on someone who looked small but was actually a real mean b*stard and stitched him up.

Poor woman. On the way home and get stabbed. She is very lucky that she wasn't killed. Hope cops nab this 'bustard' soon. I wonder if Tokyo is safe in the streets like is nwas 40 years ago? It is very bad for visitors attraction. Walking in the streets people should have four eyes, two at the front and other two in the back.

Japan is dangerous. Kowaii.

Always be alert anywhere in Japan at all hours - nuff said .

Bunch of B.S. Despite these articles Japan remains quite safe on the whole...especially in the area of violent crime.

White collar crime and sex crime maybe...violent crime, no.

Wow, it takes a big man to stab an innocent old lady in the back. Yeah, Japan is a great country and the soceity is doing fine.

Ummm, "innocent old lady"? I'm a 49-year-old man. She is 45 years old. We're not old yet! Give us a break! :-)

This story is too bizarre. Couple the shallow wound with no apparent motive (it didn't say she was robbed or sexually assaulted) and you have to wonder "What the heck?!?"

no, 45 is old ;-) j/k!

Very odd - but this is Japan and such odd/bizarre crimes are not uncommon. Really, sometimes I wonder about these crimes. Are such crimes actually pretty normal around the world and it's just that they stand out more in Japan because of our expectations? I.E. Random stabbing in South-Central LA - Eh, whatever, next article. Random stabbing in Japan - WTF!!??

Sheesh, the being over 50 I must be ready for the farm. But I still wouldn't stab anybody. What is up with this kind of stuff? This random attack thing is something that I just don't understand. In most cases I know of the perp knows the criminal or robbery is the motive. But just walking up and attacking somebody? That's really nuts.

Fadamor - Just because it's not in the newspaper doesn't mean it didn't happen. Despite popular belief, the newspaper (TV news, web news, etc) doesn't reports on as much crime as we think. Just go on a ride-along adn see just now much actually happens and then go check the news at 11 and see how much of it you see reported.

That said - we don't know stabbers motive - maybe he wanted to kill the lady for whatever reason. Maybe he wanted to take something but then freaked out and ran off, maybe .....

You know if she had a gun.........

I think he may have been practicing to get it right next time. About the shallowness of the wound, if he got her in her upper back (which is most likely) the blade may have been vertical (like in movies) and thus blocked by the rib cage from going any further.

I can't believe she actually can remember people who pass her on the street. Perhaps she noticed him when he stuck a knife in her. As for me, I sometime feel invisible. People here will walk right through you along the streets of Shinjuku. Totally ignoring the world around them outside of their friends. Perhaps this isn't the whole story? Perhaps she was being a typical Japanese who just push their way through anyone and everyone when they are in a hurry. Someone just was pushed too far. Victim-less acts are so rare. Something always sets someone off. Something in such an act. No one watches CSI? Perhaps what she was wearing, how she was walking, where she was walking (crime pron area, or area where this has happened before) or simply something. Wish we knew more... Can we expect a warning from the US State Department about Ikebukuro now???

dejavu? No, he did it again, the scum!!!

I heard that the exact location was close to Sugamo station- a favorite haunt for old ladies and therir traditional shopping.