Homeless man found bashed to death under Tomei Expressway in Tokyo; suspect in custody

Sunday 04th January, 04:50 AM JST

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Latest 15 of 19 Total Comments Show All

Freespeech at 05:46 PM JST - 3rd January

Here we have an example of irrelevant information pushed forward by the editorial office : what sense does it make to write up front that the suspect is a "part-time worker" ? Is it implied that being a part-time worker makes you more suspect thant others, that part-time people are a disgrace to J society ?

Japan should have always present to its collective mind that 35% of its active population is in a state of precariousness, part-time or arbeito or other ; this should be a sobering thought for all there.
meanmutha at 06:22 PM JST - 3rd January

sociopath.
Athletes at 06:34 PM JST - 3rd January

It is sad for poor & old man. How could be someone who was so cruel? Homeless are vulnerable & unwanted people of society. Not many will shed the tears for them. Some off them were laid off workers who contributed the economy. Some of them have incurable deceases. They can be hit by cars or can be bitten by dogs or can be murdered by someone easily. Some committed sucides. Some died with hunger & dehydration. Some die with falling from bridges. For them life is an endless suffering.
MichaelJP at 06:40 PM JST - 3rd January

The bashing murders of the homeless demonstrates a certain persistent attitude amongst Japanese males that highlights how little they value the lives of those outside of their immediate social group. You see it also with the guys who go on stabbing rampages (e.g. Akihabara) killing strangers, or who drive their truck into a crowded mall (e.g. Sendai) killing shoppers, because they are unhappy about something. You can easily imagine these same men with the same attitude committing horrific atrocities during WW2 without remorse.
Freespeech at 06:54 PM JST - 3rd January

MichaelJP :

I agree with you ; but why is it so ? Don't you believe that the absence of any system of ethical and humanistic values in a religion-less Japan is the source of all that ?
outofmydepth at 07:21 PM JST - 3rd January

let me take a guess. stress????
Tezbo at 09:12 PM JST - 3rd January

Ever heard of stake out?

You have a suspect you stake him out, follow his every move, plus you put a undercover cop in the area to keep a tab, wire tabs on the undercover, and 24 hour survellance, I use to be a cop, no way this guy got have slipped away, seal the area, get prints, but they already had the guy on camera??put a car at his house, ask about his hang outs,, What do the cops do here, Oh I forgot, Wait in the Koban when a crime is done..

Case Closed, Tezbo
nutricycle at 09:38 PM JST - 3rd January

cops lose guy, guy kills someone else = cops responsible for death, however this is japan so no japanese can be responsible for anything so he goes straight to the tachigui without passing go and doesnt get a free onsen./
rurika at 01:28 AM JST - 4th January

Takamoto lives in a welfare facility in Tama city as he has a mild intellectual disability,

I sincerely hope this won't be used as an excuse to let him off the hook. How evil can you be to attack someone sleeping rough, never mind beat them to death?
BlackFlag at 03:37 AM JST - 4th January

this has been a problem in Japan (and several other countries, whoa there nelly) for decades and decades. Homeless are an easy target for sociopaths, one of many reasons for helping them out
nutsagain at 06:39 AM JST - 4th January

Part of the problem is the 'pecking order' of worthlessness. AKA; this guy needed someone to look down on. It happens everywhere and explains why convicts love to beat up on kiddy fiddlers in the pen etc. We all need someone to beat on, or so it seems ... Still, as a few others have noted here, the Japanese do have a worrying predisposition for this bizarre behavior that does make me wonder if the same mental madness was at work in WW2 on the death marches and other places, where this kind of cruelty was rampant.
BBLeo at 02:37 PM JST - 4th January

Suspect is a 'DEMON' with horns in his brains. Police did act fast to prevent more of such crimes from the same man. Happy 'New Year 2009' police force Hope that you will pull up socks this year, showing to the world what you are made of. If suspect has only a mild intellectual disability than he is good enough to face the executioner. Why couldn't he select one of his own age and size? Is there such thing the 'protection' for homeless in Japan? Sure we have a lot of the same issues around the world, but many other countries are doing something about it. 'Homeless people do need protection, after all they are also humans as we all are.’
memyselfI at 09:11 PM JST - 4th January

This man hand picked Homeless People. He wanted to beat somebody up or thrill kill someone. Serial Killer thinking. In Japan Homeless people are looked upon like " LOSERS " of society. My Japanese girlfriend told me this. I was really upset by her statement. I wish all Japanese people will come together and say, " Wait a minute this is a human being. That could be me one day. He / She needs rights too. Just like me. " And also that person needs a helping hand. This is serial killer thinking. If I bash this guy in the head nobody won't miss him. I am erdaicating a nuisance.
memyselfI at 09:14 PM JST - 4th January

This man is not that mentally ill. He knew that Homeless People are easy targets for his destruction. He probably has a journal somewhere. And yes he probably killed animals and birds too. He probably hunts for homeless people. He's not crazy if he planned and coordinated the attacks.
oreoreda at 10:38 AM JST - 5th January

If he did do it, then he is a total coward. Make him live on the banks of the Tamagawa amongst the friends of his victims, and see how tough he is.