Japanese man sentenced to life in prison for fatal stabbing on bullet train
18/12/2019 06:37
TOKYO, Dec 18 (Reuters) - A Japanese man was sentenced to
life in prison on Wednesday after a stabbing attack on a
speeding bullet train in 2018 that left one dead and two others
inured, sparking a national debate about safety as Tokyo
prepares to host the 2020 Olympics.
Prosecutors had demanded the life sentence for Ichiro
Kojima, 23, who said he had committed the crime on a
'Shinkansen' train between Tokyo and Osaka out of frustration.
During Kojima's trial Japanese media reported he had said
spending life in prison "was a dream" he welcomed.
The knife attack set off widespread discussion in Japan on
how to improve security on the country's network of bullet
trains, known for both their speed and safety, as the country
braces for a flood of visitors ahead of the Tokyo Summer
Olympics next year.
Japan still has capital punishment but prosecutors had
stopped short of asking for the death penalty for Kojima, who
was 21 when the attack took place. Two women received knife
wounds in the incident, while Kojima fatally stabbed Kotaro
Umeda, 38, who tried to stop him.
Japan's Shinkansen trains have long been known for their
passenger safety. But in 2015, a man set himself on fire on one
of the trains, killing himself and another passenger - an
incident that prompted the installation of surveillance cameras
on train carriages.
Kojima's attack prompted debate in Japan about how to
improve security while still keeping trains running smoothly on
very tight schedules and without inconveniencing passengers at
crowded stations.
One rail firm, Central Japan Railway Co, placed security
guards on all its Shinkansen trains.
Baggage inspections have so far been rejected due to
concerns about inconveniencing passengers and slowing down train
departures, but Japanese media has reported that research is
ongoing into luggage that could scan baggage in seconds.
(Reporting by Elaine Lies
Editing by Kenneth Maxwell)
((elaine.lies@thomsonreuters.com; +81-3-4563-2748; Reuters
Messaging: elaine.lies@thomsonreuters.com))