Another Scary Station Situation
By now, you've probably heard about how most of Shimonoseki train station was recently reduced to ashes by a homeless and hungry pyromaniac. However, I wonder how many of you know that it was once the site of a killing spree.
Last night I heard a television news broadcast discussing the 1999 incident in which a man crashed into the station with a rental car, hitting some pedestrians before randomly stabbing people with a kitchen knife. He took the lives of 5 people and injured 10 more.
Uwabe, the perpetrator, was handed the death sentence (which has yet to be carried out), and a civil suit against him was upheld yesterday (the reason for the mention in the news). The victims' family members were also trying to hold Japan Railways accountable, saying that they were responsible for their loved ones' safety, but that claim was denied. In addition, they wanted financial compensation from the man's parents, which the court also turned down. Part of the reasoning for their argument against the parents is that Uwabe was under stress because his parents refused him financial assistance. Um...the guy is 42 years old. I believe it was beyond time to cut the financial strings. What do you think?
Last night I heard a television news broadcast discussing the 1999 incident in which a man crashed into the station with a rental car, hitting some pedestrians before randomly stabbing people with a kitchen knife. He took the lives of 5 people and injured 10 more.
Uwabe, the perpetrator, was handed the death sentence (which has yet to be carried out), and a civil suit against him was upheld yesterday (the reason for the mention in the news). The victims' family members were also trying to hold Japan Railways accountable, saying that they were responsible for their loved ones' safety, but that claim was denied. In addition, they wanted financial compensation from the man's parents, which the court also turned down. Part of the reasoning for their argument against the parents is that Uwabe was under stress because his parents refused him financial assistance. Um...the guy is 42 years old. I believe it was beyond time to cut the financial strings. What do you think?
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Sounds like Uwabe was a bit off. I'm no lawyer but I can't see how the railway or his parents could be responsible for his behaviour.
In Japan, guilt by association still carries a lot of weight, I'm afraid.
thats crazy.. none of my JTEs ever mentioned that had happened. I wonder what else lies in the dark history of shimonoseki??
Yeah, I was really surprised about it because we're always being told how much safer things are here than where we live.
A couple of months ago there was a Shimonoseki couple who was in financial trouble so they killed their children and planned to kill themselves but couldn't go through with it and turned themselves in for the kids' murder. There was also another group suicide about the same time. Who knows what else there is.
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