A year after the passenger slashing incident on the Odakyu line, the issue of how to prevent indiscriminate attacks

It has been six days and one year since the incident in which 10 people were injured in a train on the Odakyu Line while they were running.

Since then, there have been a series of incidents in which people targeted train cars, and indiscriminate attacks caused by their own dissatisfaction and despair.

On August 6th last year, 10 men and women were seriously injured in the Odakyu Line train running in Setagaya Ward, Tokyo, and passengers were cut one after another with a knife.

In this case, unemployed Yusuke Tsushima, 37, who was indicted for attempted murder and other crimes, is believed to have aimed at a rapid train that stops at few stations to prevent passengers from escaping, and is also believed to have tried to set fire to it. This highlighted the issue of measures to be taken inside the closed railway car.

In addition, according to investigative sources, the defendant is believed to have committed the incident out of desperation due to his difficulty in living while working part-time jobs. I tried to kill as many people as possible, no matter who they were."

Even after this incident, in October last year, a passenger was stabbed inside a train on the Keio Line, and the inside of the train was set on fire. The challenge is how to prevent

Victim still feels terrified

A woman in her 40s, who was injured herself when four passengers got on the train, responded to the interview and spoke about her feelings of fear that she might be injured when riding the train.

At that time, the woman suddenly heard a scream and a voice telling her to run away. Did.

It's been a year since the incident, and he still can't forget the fear he felt at the time. It was a state,” he recalled.

And even now, on the train, he is on the last car where the crew can be seen so that he can call for help immediately. I can't help thinking that someone might suddenly swing a knife around or scatter a strange liquid.I don't think this feeling will change in the future."

After this incident, there have been a series of indiscriminate attacks and incidents involving people I don't know. The family of the person who caused the incident and the family of the person who caused the incident must continue to have a bad feeling.I strongly do not want others to get involved."

``I wish I had talked more.'' Defendant's father regrets

The defendant's father responded to the interview and expressed his regret, saying, "I should have talked more."

After changing jobs such as dispatch and part-time jobs, the defendant was not working for about half a year before the incident and was receiving welfare, but was indicted for shoplifting canned beer etc. on the day of the incident.

His father last heard from the defendant a few months before the incident, and said he was told he was on welfare, but didn't notice anything unusual.

The father said, ``I thought that the living expenses might not be enough, so I asked if it was okay. I was going to talk about it, but in the end, I didn't talk like that."

After that, he said, "It's what weak people do to get other people involved. I'm angry that I caused an incident, and I'm sorry for the victims."

The father said that he was still thinking about whether he could not stop the incident, saying, ``I didn't think it would happen in such a short time since we last talked. I still don't know how my life situation and the incident will be connected, but I should have spoken more frankly about my worries.If I could have talked to the defendant, I would like to tell him, 'I should have talked to you sooner.'" I talked about my thoughts.

Railway companies strengthen measures

Railway companies are continuing to search for ways to prevent violent incidents on railways by strengthening countermeasures.

Among them, Odakyu Electric Railway has been conducting so-called "blind training" to test emergency responses without notifying the contents in advance since November last year in response to a series of incidents in which passengers were attacked on the train. started anew with a target of

During the training, a man suddenly brandished a knife inside the train, and passengers trying to escape started using the emergency door cock.

After the training, a review meeting is held, and the commanders and conductors of the command center exchange opinions on the points and issues they felt during the training, and are working to improve their response capabilities in the event of an emergency.

On the other hand, there are also moves to strengthen vigilance in trains, such as expanding the ``warning tour'' in which security guards patrol the inside of the train while it is running.

From April this year, Keisei Electric Railway has constantly assigned security guards to the limited express "Skyliner" that connects Tokyo and Narita Airport.

As a result, the express fare has been raised by up to 50 yen, but Keisei Electric Railway said, ``We decided to raise the price because it costs more to deploy security guards, but we would like your understanding for safety and security.''

The government's policy of obligating the installation of security cameras is also a difficult debate

In response to the incident, the government has indicated a policy to require the installation of security cameras in newly introduced vehicles, but experts and others have questioned the effectiveness and voiced objection one after another, and the debate has been difficult.

In December last year, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism announced a policy to oblige railway operators to install security cameras in all vehicles when they introduce new vehicles in response to a series of railroad raids. showed.

However, in a study group consisting of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, railway operators, and experts, the Odakyu line incident could not be prevented even though the latest cameras were installed on the trains, and countermeasures were taken on the premise of obligatory installation. There is a series of voices of opposition to the progress and doubts about the effectiveness of security cameras.

At the review meeting in June this year, the country will oblige the installation of security cameras on urban routes centered on the three major metropolitan areas such as Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka, and on all Shinkansen routes. I have presented a proposal, but the discussion has been difficult.