Man arrested for attempted murder after pushing woman off platform at Tokyo station

Source: Japan Today

A 24-year-old man was arrested for attempted murder on Monday night, accused of pushing a 60-year-old woman off a platform and onto the train tracks at Tokyo station.

Police said the woman was waiting for a Chuo line rapid train on platform 1 of Tokyo station, when she was pushed from behind onto the tracks at about 8.10 p.m., and hit by the train arriving at the platform. The woman suffered injuries to her head and body, but was in a stable condition in hospital, police said Tuesday.

Police said Shusuke Ota, reportedly unemployed and suffering from a mental disability, ran away after pushing the woman off the platform but was caught and held by a station staff member and two other men until police arrived.

An eyewitness told police that one of the men yelled at him asking him if he knew what he had just done, and said that Ota was screaming that he had failed an employment exam and that the world did not need him. Ota later admitted to police he pushed the woman off the platform, saying he wanted to die, and did it to get the death penalty.

The woman was pushed from the platform where the front car of the train was about to stop. The train driver said he saw the woman on the tracks and applied the brakes. The train made contact with the woman at a low speed, police said.

First of all it must suck being a train driver in Japan. Dealing with the crowds and always have to brake for possible suicides and murders.

Secondly, the lady didn't die and the guy was mentally unstable. I don't know about Japan but in Canada he wouldn't have to serve anytime.

Personalized Podcars Float Over Abu Dhabi

Source: io9

A Jetsons-style transit system is set to roll out around Masdar City - electric, elevated podcars that can carry a few passengers at a time around the city, between several customizable destinations.

That looks really cool. To be traveling in little pods zooming by normal traffic!

Non-Stop Train?

We all seen videos of the subway commute in Japan.

Here's an example:


Youtube Link

And I've also heard that the trains in Japan are always on time. It's never late. Of course Taiwan has to improve on this system and come up with a non-stop train!


Youtube Link

So you get onto a little car that gets scooped up by a train? That can't be a smooth transition can it? You'd spill alot of coffee! Also if you travelled a longer distance you'd have to walk down into the train and then walk back up? In a packed train that wouldn't work. And how many times have you been on a train listening to music or gabbing to a friend and didn't quite notice that your stop is coming soon and rushed out of the train. Can't do that here! Or if a fat guy was in your way and you couldn't make it back up into the small car. You'd be stuck forever!

Not a good idea! I can predict alot of chaos, stress and fist fights! Not to mentions accidents! Hey if a roller coaster can run off the tracks, so can this!

Another idea some academic invented who's never taken a ride on a train during rush hour.