"Wanted to be a Death Row Inmate"... 20s Japanese Man Sentenced to Prison for Stabbing Rampage on Train Dressed as Joker

Wielding a Weapon at Passengers on the Subway and Setting the Train on Fire

A man in his 20s who committed a random violent crime on a train while dressed as the villain character 'Joker' from the movie 'Batman'?wielding a weapon against passengers and setting fire inside the train?was sentenced to 25 years in prison by the Japanese prosecution.

On the 21st, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office requested a 25-year prison sentence for Kyota Hattori (26), who was indicted for stabbing a passenger with a weapon and setting fire inside a Keio Line train in Tokyo in 2021, during the sentencing hearing held at the Tokyo District Court.

[Photo by Twitter]

The incident occurred on the evening of October 31, 2021, Halloween Day. Around 8 p.m., Hattori boarded the Keio Line train and swung a 30cm-long knife at a 72-year-old man. He then chased after fleeing passengers and set fire to the train car. The man stabbed by the weapon fell into critical condition, and 12 passengers were injured from inhaling toxic gases.

At the time of the crime, Hattori was dressed exactly like the Joker, the villain protagonist from the popular American DC Comics and live-action movies. It is reported that no one found him suspicious due to the Halloween custom of dressing up as characters from popular culture.

During police interrogation, Hattori reportedly stated, "I admired the Joker because he calmly harms people." He also said, "I knew that killing two or more people would result in the death penalty, so I planned the crime to become a death row inmate, but I am frustrated because it did not go as intended," shocking Japanese society.

Hattori's defense team admitted to attempted murder charges involving the weapon but denied the attempted murder charges related to the 12 passengers injured by the arson, claiming "there was no intent to kill." However, the prosecution explained the reason for seeking a heavy sentence, stating, "The defendant planned and committed the crime with the intention of 'committing mass murder and receiving the death penalty' due to conflicts at work and personal life issues."

Meanwhile, due to concerns about copycat crimes by many who idolize the Joker, when the movie 'Joker' was released in 2019, police patrols and security checks were intensified at over 4,300 theaters in the United States. At that time, Landmark Theatres, which owns theaters in 27 cities nationwide, completely banned all costumes inside theaters during the screening period of 'Joker.'

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