Tokyo train attacker regrets no one died

Jiji Press

November 23, 2021

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — The suspect in a knife and arson attack that injured 17 passengers on a Tokyo train last month has told police that he deeply regrets being unable to kill anyone in the rampage, investigative sources said Monday.

The Metropolitan Police Department’s Chofu station served a fresh arrest warrant the same day on the suspect, Kyota Hattori, 25, on charges of attempted murder of passengers including a female office worker and arson.

“As no one died, I’m very disappointed and depressed,” he told the police, admitting the charges, according to the sources.

The Tokyo police suspect that Hattori poured about 3 liters of lighter fuel on a limited express train of Keio Corp.’s Keio Line in Tokyo and set it alight around 8 p.m. on Oct. 31, damaging the floor of the train and attempting to murder multiple passengers including the woman, 60.

He was arrested on the spot on Oct. 31 on suspicion of attempted murder of a 72-year-old male office worker on the train.

According to the investigation headquarters at the police station, Hattori attacked the man with a knife, moved to a different car of the train and poured the lighter fuel contained in plastic bottles.

“I carried out the plan as a way to get the death penalty,” he was quoted as telling the police.

Although the attacked man temporarily lost consciousness, he later recovered.

In the attack, 17 passengers aged between 15 and 72 were injured. Since there were no security cameras in the train, the police analyzed video posted by passengers on social media.