Hyogo taxi driver found stabbed to death

Monday 29th December, 02:05 PM JST

HYOGO —

A 54-year-old taxi driver was found stabbed to death beside his taxi in a park in Inami, Hyogo Prefecture, early Monday morning. Police said an undetermined amount of money had been stolen from the taxi.

Saburo Nagata was found dead beside his taxi by a passerby around 5:35 a.m. Police said the driver had suffered stab wounds to his neck. Bloodstains were also found on the back seat.

The taxi meter showed about 10,000 yen and police believe the driver was stabbed inside the taxi after an argument, possibly over the fare, and then got out of the taxi before he died.

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Latest 15 of 17 Total Comments Show All

meanmutha at 04:43 PM JST - 29th December

scary country now. Really... I fear for my kid these days.
WillB at 05:25 PM JST - 29th December

meanmutha - looks like media are doing good job if you are scared in one of the most safe place of the world. Beat you'll be loving living in Bagdad right now... I know I'm off subject but that's just to say that there are psychos anywhere, the difference is the amount of them and them being pursued or not.
kwatt at 05:31 PM JST - 29th December

It is time to think net protection shield between front seat and back seat like yellow cab in American. Insane guys stab driver's neck easily in Japanese cab. Watch out!
kurisutofu at 05:52 PM JST - 29th December

Japan seems to slowly catch up with other countries ... But I'm not that scared yet ... Compared to some place in Europe or America as I could hear about, Japan has still some way to go before reaching their "capacity" ...
meanmutha at 05:55 PM JST - 29th December

Yep media does my head in. Its like constant report of murders and bizarre crimes. The 7-11 next to my place was knocked over, tons of atm swidles at our bank and a few hit and run deaths outside my apt over the years. I think its safe to say Japan has changed a fair bit. As for the safe areas and countryside guys, safe as hell. Anyway I agree about the plastic shield for cabbies here. Nutters are global, agreed. Wife keeps telling me to look the other way and stop reading Japanese news. Scared, well more like concerned for my kid.
meanmutha at 06:01 PM JST - 29th December

PS, Japan has 85000 Yak gangsters and god knows how many bike gang kids stuck between ages 18-20. numbers wise, thats a bunch. Outta 125 million... its still a bloody lot.
ptolemy at 06:05 PM JST - 29th December

Here in Nagoya a taxi driver told me today he is worried about being robbed with the economy tanking. Said he keeps a knife under his seat for protection, cant't say I blame him after reading this story. RIP Mr. Nagata, and my condolences to the family.
BBLeo at 07:17 PM JST - 29th December

Early Monday morning. That will be right. All the boozers are going to work straight from the night clubs. Are cops doing any alcohol testing in this early hours? Or perhaps someone must be desperate for money to get some more booze or drugs. Killers of this taxi driver should be hanged, and judiciary shouldn't be playing around the bush with 'Bandidos' like this killers.
WillB at 07:53 PM JST - 29th December

meanmutha - I made some research on the net and found this :

Japan's homicide rate dropped 70% in the last 50 years, and the nation now has one of the lowest homicide rates in the world.[...]

One key feature of the fall is young Japanese males, who now commit one tenth as many homicides as their counterparts did in 1955. At present, Japan's homicide rate is higher among men in their 50s than among males aged 20 to 24.

So yeah Japan sure changed quite a bit, it's lot safier now :) I love to hear "it was safier in my time", which is totaly wrong. People were just not aware at all of what was happening in their country.

Still I agree with you people adding some protections to the cab for their safety, this story is really sad.
Disillusioned at 09:43 PM JST - 29th December

So, how many taxi drivers were killed this year? I can remember three, possibly there were more. It's fine to say Japan should catch up with the rest of the developed countries and place acrylic shields in the cabs to protect the drivers, but Japan is not a developed country. It is a modern country with a society that is turning to sh*t right before your eyes. This is only the beginning of a downward spiral. Keep your eyes open and watch your kids closely. It is truly a new millenium for Japan.
fantomas at 11:55 PM JST - 29th December

wow, spechless..to die for 10.000 yen in Japan..
Good_Jorb at 12:13 AM JST - 30th December

I wonder if the catch the killer of taxi driver, if he will claim that the voices in his head told him to do it as well.
tjfrancis at 01:26 AM JST - 30th December

fantomas, not 10,000 yen. that was his "fare". he robbed him of whatever money he had picked up during his shift. the joke would be on the thief/murderer if the cabs other clients paid with a credit card tho.
Antonios_M at 02:33 AM JST - 30th December

Its hard to believe that Japan has been transformed into a "dangerous" country. However, the frequency of these crimes shows that Japanese society is changing.
kurisutofu at 09:13 AM JST - 30th December

the frequency doesn't show anything I think ... because we don't know the real frequency now and before. The media talk more about it but that doesn't mean it happens more.