SoraNews24 —Japan News—

Bringing you yesterday's news from Japan and Asia, today.

RocketNews24 Japanese

Featured

Man dressed as Batman’s Joker commits stabbing/arson attack on Tokyo train on Halloween night

Tells police his goal was to “kill a lot of people.”

Shortly before 8 p.m. on Halloween night, a Keio Line express train in Tokyo was traveling from Hachioji to Shinjuku. One of the passengers was a 24-year-old man dressed in a purple suit, green shirt, and necktie. At 7:54 the train pulled out of Chofu Station, and shortly thereafter the man stabbed a 72-year-old passenger in the chest with a knife with a 30-centimeter (11.8-inch) blade. As panicked passengers fled, the attacker then spread lighter fluid around the train and lit a fire, with flames spreading to the next car over.

A passenger hit the onboard emergency notification button and told the conductor what was happening, and the train made an emergency stop at the next station, Kokuryo. However, because the platform position the train stopped at was different than what it should be under normal conditions, the train and platform doors did not align, and the train’s doors did not open, forcing passengers to climb through the windows to get to safety. The stabbing victim was rushed, unconscious, to the hospital, and 16 other passengers required treatment for smoke inhalation.

▼ Video of the attacker and incident

After the train stopped, the attacker, later identified as Kyota Hattori, remained inside the train, where he was apprehended by police officers who had been dispatched to the scene. “I came up with a plan to kill a lot of people on Halloween” said Hattori during questioning. “Since about last July I was screwing up as work,” says the currently unemployed Hattori, “and I’m not having good relationships with friends, so I wanted to die.” His intent for the attack, he said, was to kill enough people that he would receive the death penalty. “I wanted to be like the Joker, who kills people. I bought this outfit to wear when I committed the crime.”

Sources: Yahoo! Japan News/Kyodo via Otakomu, NHK News Web (1, 2), The Sankei News via Hachima Kiko
Top image: Wikipedia/MaedaAkihiko
● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

Like this:

Like Loading…

Related Stories

Trackbacks

  1. There are no trackbacks yet.
  2. Trackback URL

Trending Today

  1. Ichiran releases an at-home counter kit that turns your desk into a ramen restaurant
  2. Starbucks Japan releases new Bearista glass tumbler that changes character with every drink
  3. Yesterday’s cooking oil powers 410,000 pink winter sakura lights along Tokyo’s Meguro River
  4. Tokyo police arrest the Ame-zing Spider-Man
  5. Ichiran Japan is giving away free 2027 desk calendars, and here’s how to get them
  6. Life-size Gundam head going on display in Osaka, hopefully will find permanent home
  7. Cup Noodles go isekai in crossovers with three of Japan’s other favorite foods [Taste test]
  8. Starbucks Japan reveals new Joyful Capsule gacha toy release date
  9. KFC now sells takikomi gohan rice boxes in Japan, if you know where to look for them [Taste test]
  10. Move aside, Asahi Super Dry – Asahi Spice Beer is in town, and it’s hotter than you think

© SoraNews24 —Japan News— / SOCIO CORPORATION

Powered by WordPress VIP

%d