A quarrel which took place on the platform at Nishinakajima-Minamigata Station on the Midosuji subway line in Osaka on Tuesday night resulted in the death of one man and serious injuries to another.
Witnesses told police that Yoshio Takeda, 49, from Nara Prefecture, was arguing with another passenger on the train platform after disembarking from a northbound train at around 11:40 p.m. According to police, security camera footage shows Takeda and another unidentified man pushing and shoving each other on the platform.
Moments later, Takeda was on the tracks as a train pulled into the station. A second man, identified as Yoshitaka Sawanobori, 51, from Osaka, was seen looking down at Takeda on the track as the train arrived. Sawanobori was struck on the head by the train and killed. Takeda was also hit by the train as he was scrambling to get off the tracks and seriously injured. He remains unconscious in a critical condition, police said.
Police are now trying to establish whether Sawanobori was the man with whom Takeda had been quarreling leading up to the incident.
© Compiled from news reports
21 Comments
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my2sense
sounds like Osaka. All hell has broken loose over the past few years. We had a CSI crew in the lobby of my mansion recently (not residents) and geezers/losers/punks seem to be fighting everywhere. I would have never imagined Japan would come to this and expect the crime section to go ten fold now.
nath
It all boils down to the fact that train tracks are not the ideal place for horseplay. The writing is strange. First, Sawanobori (What is he? A sake heir?) is looking down at Takeda, and the next moment he is struck and killed by the incoming train while Takeda survives with a serious injury.
ronaldk
Bad idea to drink late and take train home...
mickwheelz
Yes its unfortunate that two people were fighting in the station and are now dead/injured... but the place is not dangerous by any stroke of the imagination.
wontond
Is Osaka that bad? I used to live near Shin Osaka station and would walk to the izakayas by Nishinakajima-Minamigata Station and never once did I feel unsafe.
Moderator: All readers, please stay on topic. The discussion is not about how safe Osaka is, but an incident in the subway.
smartacus
It's weird that the guy on the platform, who was leaning over, was unaware of the approaching train until it was too late. Another reason to install gates on the platforms as they have done at some stations in Tokyo.
nisegaijin
Justice is served. ultimate punishment for stupidity is death by train!
Elbuda Mexicano
Stupid people in Osaka do stupid things, and this could happen anywhere, not just an Osaka problem, could happen here in Shibuya, Shinjuku etc..I am surprised it does not happen more often up here in Tokyo.
Interceptor
You've got to be pretty drunk to be leaning over the tracks and not know a train is coming. Or maybe he realized he'd gone too far and was trying to help? Moral of the story is don't get drunk and fight near trains. Keep it in the izakaya.
haruka
Probably tore the mans head right off. Why would he be looking over the track and not be aware of a big giant train making noise?
smithinjapan
haruka: "Probably tore the mans head right off. Why would he be looking over the track and not be aware of a big giant train making noise?"
He, or both, were probably drunk, and Sawanobori either didn't notice the train coming or misjudged the distance due to impaired depth perception. In any case, it's a shame... these were probably both pretty normal people who got caught up in the moment and now will never return home (well, Takeda might, but sounds unlikely). My guess it that it was booze that played a part and they bumped into each other or something. Add that to the stress of working long hours and SNAP.
LFRAgain
Umm... No.
Byakko78
Shit happens, no city is 100% safe and Osaka is no exeption. BUT in the 3 years I've been living here I NEVER had a problem whatsoever with anyone and I go out and work occasionally in the entertainment district (Amemura & Shinsaibashi) where everyone is piss drunk after 7pm (and we party till 10 am most days heh ). Shinjuku is way more dangerous that that.
papigiulio
A midosuji line. Always loads of annoying strange people on that line. This kind of incident was bound to happen, see quarels often on this line, mostly because of annoyances.
Osaka is fairly safe to be honest, some commenters make it sound like Osaka is the dirteh city of Japan.
papigiulio
Btw they were the only 2? no bystanders? I mean midosuji at that hour is extremely crowded, even for a tuesday.
haruka
I thought Osaka was suppose to be safe, and it sounds it, but drunks on trains are annoying.
nandakandamanda
I am sure there is a crime here somewhere...
tubehound
I just hope the train driver is OK. People often forget the terrible effect these incidents can have on railway workers.
oyatoi
There will be plenty of yajiuma witnesses to this incident as this is quite a busy station. Once the closed circuit video monitors have been analysed and corroborating statements obtained, the gaps in the narrative will be filled and a clearer picture will emerge of how and why said incident occurred.
Byakko78
Papigiulio that station is up in Juso you know =P and if you want to see strange people try the Sennichimae sen after 7pm heh
papigiulio
Byakko78?? That station? eh? minami kata is minami kata :P Strange people everywhere mate, especially midosuji and jr line. Glad Hankyu is reasonably normal :)