18-year-old arrested for pushing man to death from train platform at Okayama

Wednesday 26th March, 04:31 PM JST

OKAYAMA —

An 18-year-old man was arrested for allegedly pushing a 38-year-old man off a platform and to his death at JR Okayama Station in the city of Okayama late Tuesday, police said Wednesday. The victim, Kuniaki Kariya, an Okayama prefectural government official on his way home, was hit by an oncoming train and died early Wednesday of hemorrhagic shock, the police said.

The 18-year-old man, from Daito, Osaka Prefecture, was quoted as telling the police, ‘‘I can go to prison if I kill someone. It didn’t matter who it was. I just pushed the back of the first person in front of me.’’

A railway police officer rushed to the scene after hearing the horn from the train and arrested the youth, the police said. The police are now investigating the incident as a murder case.

The man—whose identity has been withheld because he is a minor—had graduated from an Osaka prefectural high school earlier this month. He had a fruit knife on him when he was arrested, the police said. ‘‘I was going to stab someone,’’ the boy told investigators, according to the police.

According to the investigation, the man is suspected of approaching and pushing Kariya onto the railway track from behind as a train was about to arrive at the platform at around 11:05 p.m. Tuesday.

Kariya was waiting for a train to return to his home in Kurashiki, Okayama, at the time. According to West Japan Railway Co., Kariya was standing in front of about 20 people who were queuing up in a double line near a newsstand. The platform was crowded with more than 200 people.

According to police, the 18-year-old man lived with his parents and a brother. He went missing from home Tuesday morning and his parents asked the police in the evening to search for their son.

The suspect told police he arrived at the station around 7 p.m. and wandered around, thinking about stabbing someone, but could not make up his mind to do so.

He was carrying a knife in his shoulder bag and had a train ticket for 140 yen’s worth of travel from Okayama station. He had 3,560 yen in cash.

His classmates and high school staff said the man was an American football player when he was in junior high school and was well-built. But he was very gentle and bullied at times in junior high, they said. He was commended for a good attendance record during his senior high school years, missing only two days.

Latest 15 of 44 Total Comments Show All

stormcrow at 02:23 PM JST - 27th March

First of all, I hope he's tried as an adult. An 18 year old who does something like this should be in prison or a mental hospital for the rest of his life. Secondly, it's a scary thought but maybe this young man has done something like this before. Also, I wonder how often this kind of thing happens where the killer walks away and melts into a crowd, especially on those crowded train platforms in cities like Osaka & Tokyo. The police have probably closed some investigations as suicides, which would just add more anguish on the friends & relatives of the victims of such crimes. I suppose barricades would be too much cost and trouble for train stations to consider, but this kind of crime has occurred before and will unfortunately occur again.
notimpressed at 08:12 PM JST - 27th March

'18-year-old arrested for pushing man to death from train platform at Okayama' '12-year-old boy jumps to death off condo building ' 'Stabbing suspect says he intended to attack school kids'

So much of this type of bizarre and pointless tragedies happening im Japan every week. Its long been known that the pressure to conform within Japanese society is to much, and cries for help like this still go unnoticed. How can Japan stop and take a look at itself, and start an open dialogue with each other? Feels like an impossibility. This is something where Japan really needs to admit theres a problem, followed by admittting to a whole string of other things. Japan seems to mistake its biggest weaknesses for its strengths. Honnae and tattemae is nothing to be proud of anymore. The world is getting crazier, and we all need to admit its not a walk in the park, is that so hard? Get some help Japan, Where China used to be called the 'sick old man of the east', Japan seems to be the 'batty old oyaji that everyone tries to pretend is someone elses problem' Downward spiral...
southofreality at 10:44 PM JST - 27th March

"The reason I wrote “誰でも良かった is looking like the new phrase in 2008” is cos this young lad uttered the very same words that that guy did just a few days ago after knifing 8 people in Ibaraki. There’s nothing like copying someone else. Wouldn’t be surprised if we hear it again in the next few days."

eastokyo, I knew what you meant, and I meant that the whole 'daredemo yokatta' statement has been uttered by many a batshyte crazy murderer over the years. Cheers!
Tahoochi at 12:32 AM JST - 28th March

Notimpressed, "Get some help Japan..." "...Japan seems to be the ‘batty old oyaji that everyone tries to pretend is someone elses problem’" Yes, Japan is getting worse for crimes like this, but how are you going to change the social culture of a small island country with a population of 130 million, occupance since 30,000BC, and a formal national state since 700 AD??? "Get some help Japan"??? I hope you're not American because I shouldn't even have to start to remind you what crime is like in the US. Freedom is one thing, but shootings, drug raids, and car chases everyday is another... I hope Japan never becomes like that.
umbrella at 08:56 AM JST - 28th March

Yes, some citizens just can't the social pressure to conform and they explode. This will always happen, there's nothing to be done about it. The price paid for this aspect of japanese culture. Err I think I believe what I just wrote.
umbrella at 08:57 AM JST - 28th March

that should be "can't HANDLE" the pressure to conform"
flammenwerfer at 05:35 PM JST - 28th March

I still dont get why an 18 year old is considered a minor here, it really is ridiculous
cwhite at 05:50 PM JST - 28th March

well, one sick crime a weeks isn't too bad in figures. What does scare me is the day these types of crimes become so common place like many other countries it's not even considered newsworthy. Lets see what hits the news this weekend as the drunk ones scamper around the cherry blossoms.
stormcrow at 02:24 PM JST - 29th March

What's really tragic about this murder is that the victim was a father with a wife and young children at home. This murderer will probably be sent to a special prison for boys and released in a few years with a new identity and no record whatsoever.
Blue_Tiger at 12:09 AM JST - 31st March

When there are no consequences for bad choices and bad actions in the home for 18 years, this is the result. This young man was likely no more concerned with this gentleman's death, and his family's loss, than he would be with offing a video game opponent....
cosmo13 at 06:29 AM JST - 31st March

Next time anyone gets any funny ideas, SEE A PSYCHIATRIST
lipscombe at 10:43 AM JST - 1st April

aaah the old video game argument. blue-tiger, think for yourself eh. personally I blame socks, cmon, think about it! everybody has them! must be a connection.
flammenwerfer at 01:22 PM JST - 1st April

I was just thinking about this chaps comment "I can go to prison if I kill someone" I was thinking more along the lines "you can go to hell if you kill yourself".
xxBiscuitxx at 10:35 AM JST - 2nd April

...why I dont stand in the front of the line at the train station...
notimpressed at 11:03 AM JST - 2nd April

Tahoochi "I hope you're not American ..."

No I most certainly am not. I mostly wish that Japanese had an outlet for thier frustrations and help for psychological problems. I would love to see a stronger network of social services, whioch comunicate between disciplines*ie. medical, psychiatry, social workers, councilling, education. No one is talking to each other. Individually and corporate. Or should I say everyone is talking alot but not saying anything. Your right, its not easy for them to change a whole culture, but I hope they can take some small steps towards seeing there is an issue that needs attention.