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JR East conducts mock attack following violent incidents on trains

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hope it was more realistic than the Ueno zoo 'escaped zebra' escapade a few years back. but I have my doubts....

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Yes, the current trend of rail staff all around Japan now.

Just one of the drills that should’ve been done since the first day of training camp.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

@voxbovi

The law applies to both Japanese and foreigners alike. 

In theory, yes. In practice? Not so much. JT is replete with stories in the comments over the years of foreigners describing this kind of unequal treatment.

The one that sticks out the most for me was the foreigner teacher who tried to apprehend a Japanese man who was molesting one of his female students on a train while they were on their way for a trip. The molester yelled and made a big commotion, both were apprehended by police, the molester was released after 5 minutes but the foreigner was apprehended for hours while the police made the rounds calling his wife, his employer, etc to verify his trustworthiness.

After they realized the foreigner wasn’t, in fact, the instigator, they released him with the warning (in broken English): “Don’t mess with Japan business.”

I think all foreigners living here know not to get involved in potentially legally sticky situations. If it’s bad enough in the US that you could be sued/blamed if you try to be a Good Samaritan for a stranger, how much worse is it in Japan.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

diagonaslip: "hope it was more realistic than the Ueno zoo 'escaped zebra' escapade a few years back. but I have my doubts...."

I was just going to say that! And I also doubt it very much.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I wonder if the scenario they ran included passengers fighting back. That doesn't seem to happen in Japan. But, if it did the perpetrators would be so shocked that they would probably run and hide. I'm waiting for the first instance when a perpetrator gets shot in the face with the public fire extinguisher, tied up by the passengers, and turned over to police.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Japan should really reconsider its self-defense rules. You should at least have the right to subdue people that pose a threat to you or those around you.

Every person who witnesses a crime can arrest and detain a person until police arrives (刑事訴訟法213条)

Japanese law allows for both, self-defense and defense of a third party with any means that are necessary to stop an imminent attack (and that includes lethal force).

2 ( +3 / -1 )

You make an interesting observation @gintonic 8:38am:

“…they chose a woman to act as the attacker.............how many of the actual train attack incidents were carried out by women?” -

-“The simulated incident involved a woman acting as an assailant who slashed a passenger and started a fire”-

From the same article:

“The recent incident a man stabbed a passenger and ignited a fire inside a limited express train on Oct 31.

…followed another knife attack in Aug when a man injured 10 passengers on a commuter train” -

1 ( +2 / -1 )

As for the inquiry about kevlar, it does stop knives.

Self-defense classes, that is meaningless, unless you want to practice regularly for years and few have an actual talent wedded to such, it is an athletic pursuit.

As for the swarming attack by a few brave souls against an individual armed with a knife. Doomed to failure. In a knife fight, the individual with the knife always 'wins'. The wisest action is flee and call the police. So-called, self-defense 'training' will do noting but encourage an individual to enter into a dangerous situation. I worked for the federal government and used to simulate knife attacks (rubber knife) on law enforcement personnel, even those who were well trained did not perform adequately, none were able to disarm me - all would have been seriously injured or died if it was an actual knife.

The following is an actual incident from Portland, Oregon USA. May of 2017. Jeremy Christian was taunting two women on a commuter train. Three individuals decided to intervene - one, who died was an ex-Marine.

Fletcher, got into a shoving match with Jeremy Christian, who was taunting the men to “do something” to stop him. Christian then took out a 4in folding knife and stabbed Fletcher and Namkai-Meche, prosecutors said. Authorities said he also stabbed a third passenger, Ricky Best, who was standing nearby. Namkai-Meche and Best died of stab wounds to the neck. Fletcher was seriously injured but survived. Christian stabbed the men 11 times in 11 seconds.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

That’s not a mock attack but only a replaying of a known incident. A real training would require that the fake attacker is free in choosing kind of weapons, accessories and scenarios, so that nobody of the defending team knows beforehand what exactly will happen.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Maybe the government should do more. Give some self defense classes or provide some lessons how to engage people that attack with knives. Give some inspirational speeches and motivate the people more. To not panic and do more in such situation. Remember, one person cannot take on 5. If there was even 3 brave people on that train, that attacker would have been laying on the ground already with broken ribs. Sure you might get cut or experience some wounds, but i truly believe that if people were willing to stand up for others, a lot of these kind of incidents could have been neutralized. Attackers are cowards trying to attack those that are scared of them. They become more bold once they think you are weak. Same concept with bullies. They keep picking on you because they know you don't resist. Hit back. Even if you get injured or lose. As long you stand up and resist, the other side will also feel pain and danger which make them lose their confidence.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

agree with @Hiro, in the very least, train some staff in self-defense and firefighting skills and give them non-lethal weapons (at least a sasumata will do). The situation right now doesn't look good in terms of mental health and let us not pretend it is still ok. Protect your own. How about the NPA detailing several plain clothes officers on trains? This is just an unpopular opinion though, Japan should really reconsider its self-defense rules. You should at least have the right to subdue people that pose a threat to you or those around you. You cannot expect law enforcement to be omnipresent and omniscient all the time.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Following a series of violent incidents on trains recently, 

This "series of violent incidents" consisted of TWO incidents in a metropolis of 20 million. Am I missing something?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Did they roll out the Spider-Man/web gun for good measure?

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Does Japan even have self defense laws?

Yes, please see 刑法36条1項 for the details of the law.

...but unfortunately as a foreigner living here I would be worried that if I did kill somebody in self defense I would get the book thrown at me.

The law applies to both Japanese and foreigners alike. You are entitled to self-defense (or defense of a third party) if

1) The attack is unjustified

2) There is an imminent threat

3) The act of (self)-defense is adequate to stop the ongoing attack

4) The act of (self)-defense is proportionate to the attack

That means generally that you are required to use the mildest means to stop an attack, but since the measure must also be adequate to stop an ongoing attack, that also implies that you can actually kill a person who attacks you or a third party with a lethal weapon. (e.g. nobody expects you to slap the attackers wrists if he attacks you with a knife)

Am I wrong to think this way?

Yes.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

I am all for training staff for most eventualities, but the article was not clear, was the train parked up at the station? or was it moving between stations? how many staff were involved? will all of the staff get full training? will there be ongoing training,?

A moving train will pose a different problems to a stationary one, how do you restrain someone for a long time between stations? pasangers cant get off a moving train, will staff be given zip ties to restrain people? and has or will the staff get first aid training? that could be very useful if some one was stabbed or cut.

In the army they teach people that go undercover, to read body language, this is in case someone is about to do something, they can pre-empt a situation, this could be an advantage to train staff, if someone is acting suspiciously help could be summonsed ( just incase ) before a problem really kicks off.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Well practices of a mock attack are good to be more prepared.

To say they bought time by engaging with the women while waiting for the police to arrive sounds flimsy in my opinion.

Perhaps if they said they offered physical and emotional assistance to the women before the police arrived.

And how did they extinguish the fire ?

The employees were given a limited amount of advance information about the scenario ?why?

Are they doing a survey how the employees deal with the scenario ?

My advice every one travel with a jar of hot sauce and be ready to use it.

Bright flashlights are also a good idea.

Prepare for the worst but hope for the best.

If your going to use public transportation then best to have a plan to protect yourself .

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Bring something in your backpack, so stop a round or knife blade.

Like a Divider Panel of some sort, inside the Backpack.

Dont know if Kevlar is designed to do that or just stop shrapnel.

-8 ( +1 / -9 )

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