69-year-old man stabs noisy neighbor in Nagoya

Monday 26th January, 08:58 AM JST

NAGOYA —

A 69-year-old man was arrested on Monday accused of attempted homicide after he allegedly stabbed a man who lived in the apartment above him in Nagoya City. Shinichi Matsumura, 69, is accused of stabbing the 65-year-old man in the stomach and shoulder while he was out on the street near the apartment block at about 2 p.m. on Sunday. The man’s injuries were not life threatening, police said.

Matsumura admitted to the allegation and told police the pair had argued in the past over noise, and had argued again before the incident on Sunday.

News reports

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Latest 15 of 20 Total Comments Show All

mark_in_japan at 11:04 AM JST - 26th January

If Japan, a country with the second largest economy in the world, would start building proper apartment buildings instead of tissue paper and tinketoy boxes, people wouldn't have to put up with their neighbor's noise as much as they do.
Ranger_Miffy at 11:32 AM JST - 26th January

My apartment building is solid and thankfully I don't hear the neighbors. And, no one has one of those insane yappy dogs nearby. Praying it continues...
JTTM at 11:42 AM JST - 26th January

Yeah, I'm with Mark in Japan! Let's usher in the age of insulation; comfort! energy efficiency! and...wait for it, Sound proofing!

I fondly remember my first noise compalint in 2005 - Lightly strumming an acoustic five minutes prior to a protesting knock at the front door, oh well.
whyamiinjapan at 11:48 AM JST - 26th January

JTTM, my son got kicked out of his apartment for strumming a guitar two times in different incidences and then "talking to himself loudly". It scared the neighbor. He went over to apologize and talk to the neighbor and they wouldn't answer the door. That was the last straw. He was trying to harass them.

Bunch of neurotics.
saborichan at 11:50 AM JST - 26th January

Instruments are banned in my apartment block. Fortunately I can't play anything worth a damn.

Soundproofing would be lovely. My neighbor gets constant complaints from the girl beneath her, and all she does is walk around. The local officials have been called and they pretty much agree the downstairs neighbor is just batty.
Midnightpromise at 01:33 PM JST - 26th January

While living in Germany one of my neighbors enjoyed playing his music loud. The polizei were called by someone in the building, they came and gave one warning, the next visit they knocked, came into the apartment and non-chalantly threw the stereo out the window. Problem solved.
Nessie at 01:45 PM JST - 26th January

Instruments are banned in my apartment block.

Same with mine. Luckily it's a concrete building where the sound doesn't travel, so I can get away with fooling around on my acoustic. I also helps to say hi to your neighbors. Noise from someone you know is always less noisy. Two apartments ago there were always these cooing and cawing sounds. I asked a neighbor where the birds were. She said it wasn't birds, it was the guy upstairs. Sure, I thought, the guy upstairs. Until the ambulance came to cart him away.

While living in Germany one of my neighbors enjoyed playing his music loud. The polizei were called by someone in the building, they came and gave one warning, the next visit they knocked, came into the apartment and non-chalantly threw the stereo out the window. Problem solved.

Was that East Germany?
bobbafett at 02:17 PM JST - 26th January

I need complete peace and quiet to get to sleep. A bump in the night will wake me up. When I was in Tokyo, I could hair my neighbors on either side. It was really annoying. In Osaka I live in complete peace. Happy here.
realist at 02:44 PM JST - 26th January

The problem here is the entire social and material structure of Japan. The houses cost a fortune, and are made of paper. Of course, you will hear every noise coming from next door - I can hear the ojiisan next door breaking wind through the paper walls that separate us, every time he does it. Annoying - but its amazing what you get used to in this country! What a tragic case this is, though. Years ago when I first came to Japan there was a similar case in my neighbourhood where a young guy playing his piano was stabbed in the back, to death, by a mad neighbour. Scary place, this.
dennis0bauer at 03:10 PM JST - 26th January

My the neigbour is hardhearing at 65years of age?
BBLeo at 06:38 PM JST - 26th January

Similar story was published not long ago. These two elderly have certainly lost the plot. Is there any work around to keep them occupied? Perhaps they should be 'boxing' trainers. What punishment can you give to such man in his age? Is there any room in mental hospital for cleaning job? I would say that this attack was planned.
aparth at 07:41 PM JST - 26th January

I played my stereo too loud for 2 minutes (a few weeks after I arrived in Japan) and was greeted by a raving cigarette-toting lunatic who burst inside my apartment and wouldn't leave for at least 5 minutes. His eyes were bloodshot and looked drug or alcohol affected. He came again a few days later to complain about the noise made by washing the dishes.

Reading this concerns me because I have an acoustic that I am serious about becoming accomplished at. :0 !!

A lesson for everyone here to keep your door locked at all times
meanmutha at 09:36 PM JST - 26th January

they are super sensative to noise, funny thing is all the sirens, cars, yelling, street noise etc... extreme place, and then Japanese are famous for snapping and stabbing.
Ranger_Miffy at 09:54 PM JST - 26th January

My sanity has been saved by an excellent set of earphone that I can plug into my bass guitar or movie devices. I can listen at higher volumes without bugging anyone.
pointofview at 09:02 AM JST - 27th January

My neighbour upstairs complained to my landlord that I was playing my acoustic guitar too much and said stop it. I told him that when people start complaining about the young couple next door who fight, drink, have parties and make tons of noise all night Ill consider practicing somewhere else. I havent been bothered since. My door is always locked.