"Targeted Happy-Looking Woman"…Suspect Arrested for Stabbing Rampage on Tokyo Train

On the evening of the 6th, an ambulance crew is transporting an injured passenger to the hospital following a stabbing incident inside an Odakyu (小田急) Line train running through the Setagaya (世田谷) area of Tokyo.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Seoyoung Kwon] The suspect who carried out a stabbing rampage inside an electric train operating in Tokyo, Japan, has been arrested by the police.

NHK reported that around 8:30 p.m. on the 6th, a man in his 30s committed a stabbing attack indiscriminately inside an Odakyu Line train running through the Setagaya (世田谷) area of Tokyo. The suspect, 36-year-old Yusuke Tsushima, stabbed a woman in her 20s in seven places including her back, causing serious injuries, and nine male passengers nearby sustained minor injuries.

Due to this incident, the affected train line was suspended for about four hours. A witness at the scene said, "A woman with blood on her clothes shouted that there was a person wielding a knife here," adding, "Everyone inside the train was in a state of panic. It was very frightening."

Tsushima, who caused the rampage, got off the emergency-stopped train and fled along the tracks. However, about an hour and a half later, around 10 p.m., he was arrested by the police at a convenience store approximately 6 km from the accident site. It is reported that just before his arrest, he told the convenience store manager, "I am the suspect in the incident currently on the news. I am tired of running away," and asked him to notify the police.

The police arrested Tsushima on suspicion of attempted murder and began investigating the motive behind the stabbing rampage. According to NHK, Tsushima, who is unemployed, admitted to the crime during police questioning, saying, "When I see happy women, I feel like killing them. Anyone would do."

Meanwhile, this is not the first stabbing rampage incident on a Japanese train. In 2018, a man attacked three male and female passengers inside a Tokaido Shinkansen train running through Kanagawa Prefecture, resulting in the death of one male passenger.

Since then, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan established a system banning the carrying of knives inside trains, and from July this year, ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, railway operators have been allowed to inspect passengers' luggage. However, with a similar incident occurring again, criticism is growing that it may be practically difficult to conduct luggage inspections at stations with heavy passenger traffic.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.