Man held in fatal hit-and-run says he just wanted to kill somebody

Wednesday 12th November, 02:54 AM JST

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Proffessor at 06:41 PM JST - 11th November

We got a big problem here.
nikoniko at 06:46 PM JST - 11th November

Unless you live in a country like Japan, China, Mexico, even EU areas, you have NO IDEA how easy it is to purposefully or accidentally (more so) to hit and kill a person with your car. With 2 lane roads being the size of avg 1 lane road in the states, and ppl walking/biking EVERYWHERE and they have the "right of way" no matter what (abuses of that privvy or not) along with not watching where they walk or bike (those of you driving in Japan know what Im talking about) ... its just TOO easy to hit n run someone here w/ or w/out intentions. Insanity. No wonder i have ulcers now! I HATE driving here.
romulus3 at 06:51 PM JST - 11th November

‘‘I wanted to hit and kill whoever it turned out to be,’’

was it everything you imagined it to be?
BBLeo at 06:52 PM JST - 11th November

Does this mean; if we get irritated by our work, we can just go and kill someone? This tad has lost his plot. Is anyone available to just his brains back to normal?
jeancolmar at 07:44 PM JST - 11th November

Well, it's a definite pattern. Kid is irritated and kills someone. It used to just knives. Then Kato-san rammed people with his truck and stabbed them, thus becoming a role model for Japan's irritated.

Since random killing is epidemic there ought to be a I-Feeling-Like-Killing-Someone hotline. I am serious. It is just possible that the would-be killers need someone to hear their gripes and can be talked out of killing strangers.

One thing for certain: capital punishment is no deterrent. Neither is fear of punishment.
seggahme at 08:32 PM JST - 11th November

in this case i surely see yakuza's hand
helloklitty at 08:40 PM JST - 11th November

I read in a British newspaper where 53 percent of all workers have thought of killing a co-worker or boss.
isthistheend at 09:43 PM JST - 11th November

Well as we are all in this soup, and we all see at least 10 people each day that look like they're ready to flip out, what the heck can we do? I feel sick inside, and just keep repeating positive thoughts to try and counter the negatitivity, disregard for people that we see left and right, above and below. Whoever is still "in love" with Japan, has either just come or what? isn't paying attention?

Yet, the society as a whole is obedient to a fault, and they have no other place to go. Never did. So its live here and defend yourself and be on guard at all times. Which is no way to live at all. But we have to find some kind of balance between the way it is, the way it might become. I really pity the situation of the world today. And Japan is a very special society and case. Who among us can describe/understand it? Heaven help us all!
medievaltimes at 10:06 PM JST - 11th November

Who among us can describe/understand it?

I'll give it a shot.

Speaking in general terms the Japanese pshyche resembles a pressure cooker. It is very resiliant and can endure great stress for long periods of time but when it explodes, it explodes big time.

This guy's action, in his mind, is the ultimate way to go against the world that he feels wronged him (saw on the news tonight his father was very strict with him). He wants people to feel outraged by this. He wants people to take notice of his act and he wants people to talk about it (like on this message board).

In his mind, what happens to him after the act doesn't concern him and he couldn't care less.

That's my best guess.
Potsu at 11:56 PM JST - 11th November

Should have done himself in and felt how it feels firsthand.So childish for a 19 year old....c'mon,what stress does a 19 year old REALLY have in this country ?? Go and be 19 in Russia or Sudan.What a loser.
KitsuneYoukai at 12:37 AM JST - 12th November

19 yrs old is considered a minor here????

Sad case this guy but so are so many here who give small reasons for having killed someone. From the very young to the very old the reasons are so dumb. I don't know how many people he came into contact on a daily basis and how they responded to him but even just a nice hello or smile from someone could be a deterrant from reaching the point of no return. The more negatives a person feels each day the more it pushes that person towards that dark human space.

One day he may regret it even if he doesn't now.
soldave at 10:03 AM JST - 12th November

KitsuneYoukai - Yes, the age of adulthood starts at 20, although there are plans to reduce it in some aspects in the next couple of years.
TokyoGas at 11:16 AM JST - 12th November

‘‘I wanted to hit and kill whoever it turned out to be,’’ the man, whose name is withheld as he is a minor, was quoted as telling police.

Man, too many people going bonkers here. We all have stress and we are all irritated by something or someone. And who hasn't thought about knocking a pesty person in the head with a brick... But to go off and randomly run down someone with the intent to kill is obscene.

Trial as an adult should be more flexible here.
1eyedjack at 05:20 PM JST - 12th November

"Man, too many people going bonkers here. We all have stress and we are all irritated by something or someone."

Sorry, but you are missing the key element in your attempts to understand what is happening here. Japan as a nation has become totally engulfed in selfishness and "me-ism" ! It has permeated every aspect of Japanese society. I-pods, cell phones, the food culture, the morning commute, shopping as a hobby, nemawashi, suicides, etc. All, when closely examined indicate a nation of people absolutely self absorbed in itself. These recent murders and mass attacks, 13 by last count, are a symptom of this me-ism. Japanese today care nothing about others. Even when they freak out, all they want to do is kill and lash out at anybody in the vicinity. This has become frightening... I can't wait to leave.
HonestDictator at 05:01 AM JST - 16th November

You know, I've never really felt the urge to kill "anybody" just because I was feeling under duress. I have felt the urge to hurt somebody that was intentionally hurting me, but never ever just "anybody" because they were there.

The motives of the suspects in Japan to attack someone doesn't make much sense in cases like this.