Rampage in Tokyo's Video Game District Kills Seven
Rampage in Tokyo's Video Game District Kills Seven
June 8, 2008
The Associated Press reports that a 25-year-old man went on a rampage in downtown Tokyo today, killing at least seven people in the famed Akihabara district.
The killer apparently ran over several people with his truck before stabbing 18 more. According to the AP:
[Akihabara is] Tokyo's premier electronics and video game district... known as Electric Town, [it] is wildly popular with Japan's cyber-wise youth.
A CNN report adds:
The Akihabara district, where the attack took place, specializes in electronic gadgets and video games and is popular with people interested in comic books and distinctive fashion.
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Posted 01/06/09 at 04:28am
Nocturne: Id've thought the Sony Stores would be up for the chop, never see any customers in them
Nocturne: Id've thought the Sony Stores would be up for the chop, never see any customers in them
Posted 01/06/09 at 03:22am
Flamespeak: I could easily see VIAO taking a dirt nap though. too pricey and don't sell all that well.
Flamespeak: I could easily see VIAO taking a dirt nap though. too pricey and don't sell all that well.
Posted 01/06/09 at 03:21am
Flamespeak: Sony won't axe Playstation. They have said that Playstation is the only thing that consistantly generates profit for them.
Flamespeak: Sony won't axe Playstation. They have said that Playstation is the only thing that consistantly generates profit for them.
Posted 01/06/09 at 01:03am
SimonBob: US Army testing Calgary "Booze Cruise" game -- http://snipurl.com/9ivi7 [CBC]
SimonBob: US Army testing Calgary "Booze Cruise" game -- http://snipurl.com/9ivi7 [CBC]
Posted 01/06/09 at 12:24am
barra_sadei: There's a difference between "rightfully seizing land and "stealing land." The first deals with buying it, and the second with gaining it through war.
barra_sadei: There's a difference between "rightfully seizing land and "stealing land." The first deals with buying it, and the second with gaining it through war.
Posted 01/05/09 at 10:09pm
Neeneko: Heh. Trying to simplify the israely/palistinaint conflict into shout boxes.....
Neeneko: Heh. Trying to simplify the israely/palistinaint conflict into shout boxes.....
Posted 01/05/09 at 10:02pm
Derovius: How is Hamas a rebel faction? Its their government. The Israeli's laided claim to land thats not theirs, and shooting ensued. If Mexico marched its army across the border into the US, said "Nice land, I'll take it", how fast would the US start shooting?
Derovius: How is Hamas a rebel faction? Its their government. The Israeli's laided claim to land thats not theirs, and shooting ensued. If Mexico marched its army across the border into the US, said "Nice land, I'll take it", how fast would the US start shooting?
Posted 01/05/09 at 09:51pm
Austin_Lewis: Israel has been 'taking it' for 20 years, at least a rocket or mortar everyday.
Austin_Lewis: Israel has been 'taking it' for 20 years, at least a rocket or mortar everyday.
Posted 01/05/09 at 09:18pm
JustChris: Army of a sovereign nation versus smallish rebel groups, and people are complaining that the former is utterly destroying the latter? Don't bring it if you can't take it.
JustChris: Army of a sovereign nation versus smallish rebel groups, and people are complaining that the former is utterly destroying the latter? Don't bring it if you can't take it.
Posted 01/05/09 at 08:28pm
JDKJ: @SDD: Fair enough.
JDKJ: @SDD: Fair enough.
Posted 01/05/09 at 07:17pm
Austin_Lewis: @Zippy: 1) Way too many gundam shows. 2) I don't care about the rest, just Hamas in palestine.
Austin_Lewis: @Zippy: 1) Way too many gundam shows. 2) I don't care about the rest, just Hamas in palestine.
Posted 01/05/09 at 07:15pm
ZippyDSMlee: Austin_Lewis:You should enjoy Gundam00 themid east antions are getting wiped out one by one.
ZippyDSMlee: Austin_Lewis:You should enjoy Gundam00 themid east antions are getting wiped out one by one.
Posted 01/05/09 at 07:06pm
Shadow D. Darkman: @JDKJ: Sorry, but I'm not in this.
Shadow D. Darkman: @JDKJ: Sorry, but I'm not in this.
Posted 01/05/09 at 06:40pm
JDKJ: This is one of those weird cases where I'm actually hoping that Shadow will appear, face in palm.
JDKJ: This is one of those weird cases where I'm actually hoping that Shadow will appear, face in palm.
Posted 01/05/09 at 04:58pm
Austin_Lewis: Actually, I hate hamas. Mainly because, you know, they're dicks. Of course, if you want to hang out with terrorists, go for it
Austin_Lewis: Actually, I hate hamas. Mainly because, you know, they're dicks. Of course, if you want to hang out with terrorists, go for it
Posted 01/05/09 at 04:57pm
Derovius: Well, according to your response you only hate Muslims. So instead being an utter douchebag, you're only a complete douchebag.
Derovius: Well, according to your response you only hate Muslims. So instead being an utter douchebag, you're only a complete douchebag.
Posted 01/05/09 at 04:53pm
Austin_Lewis: Of course, I enjoy your suggestion that I hate Jews AND Muslims.
Austin_Lewis: Of course, I enjoy your suggestion that I hate Jews AND Muslims.
Posted 01/05/09 at 04:52pm
Austin_Lewis: Actually, I'm just glad to see the Palestinians getting a bit of pay back for 20 years of rockets into Israel everyday.
Austin_Lewis: Actually, I'm just glad to see the Palestinians getting a bit of pay back for 20 years of rockets into Israel everyday.
Posted 01/05/09 at 04:35pm
Derovius: You should be happy Lewis, the two groups of people you hate are killing each other.
Derovius: You should be happy Lewis, the two groups of people you hate are killing each other.
Posted 01/05/09 at 04:16pm
Austin_Lewis: Slow news day today, eh? Oh well, at least Palestine is getting pounded by Israel. Here's hoping for some real news tomorrow.
Austin_Lewis: Slow news day today, eh? Oh well, at least Palestine is getting pounded by Israel. Here's hoping for some real news tomorrow.
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Game Politics and Game Politics logo are trademarks of the ECA.
Game Politics and Game Politics logo are trademarks of the ECA.
Comments
That sucks, wonder what made him do it...
Knowing the anti-gaming crowd as i do, i can only help feeling like video games will get the blame....
Well, so far there have been no comments about video games being to blame. According to reports in news programs here in Japan, the culprit got angry easily. I assume he snapped or something.
I don't see how Videogames are to blame. Just because a crime took place near them? By that logic, Oxygen causes violence, as violence always takes place around it.
No, no, I know that they will find a way to blame the games. They always do. I'm just pre-emptively boggling my mind, so it's not quite as boggled when they do blame the games.
Furthermore, you can’t commit acts of violence without access to oxygen.
is popular with people interested in comic books and distinctive fashion.
Uh oh, more things that need banning, especially that first one!
I have to ask, isn't such acts of violence over there still somewhat small? Especially with the video game connection considering all the equally disturbing things that get released & consumed there....
Yeah, I did read that Japan has one of the lowest crime rates for an industrialzed nation.
But even when rampages like this do happen, it always gets traced back to a work/family related issue. Someone I know who actually lives and works in Japan says that whole "working yourself to death" thing (literally) is becoming quite a big issue, and covered in the Japanese media.
Don't forget though, Japan has one of the highest suicide rates of any nation, and over 99% of gun-related deaths there are suicides!
Also know as Karoshi or something like that.
The Economist did an article on it.
I wonder how the Japanese media and government will handle this... Don't really see the point of having two quote that say almost the same thing.
God damn....
-------------------
IMA FIRIN MAH LASER!!!
Shit dude. I know video games are going to get blamed, but there is no way that a game could have possibly driven a person with a previously healthy mind to do this. In fact there's no evidence this man ever played a video game.
Nooooo! Not Akihabara!
Apparently he was "sick of life" or something, missed what was being said on the news and only caught the tail end. I'd say he just snapped as some people tend to do, maybe after from stress or pressure or depression or something like that, doesn't have to have to do with anything media related. Of course that wouldn't stop the opportunistic asshats from blaming whatever it is they don't like.
Nope it won't, old buddy.
What ticks me off is something like this happens in, say, the gaming/comics/goth part of the city, it's part of the story.
Now if it happened in say, the Japanese version of Times Square or Wall Street, I doubt that'd be mentioned as though it actually had something to do with the crime, but since they don't care for games/comics/unconventional outfits, then they must be somehow related to it?
If it was related, couldn't it be he HATED all those things and decided to take them with him?
(You don't target your buddies when you snap, you target those you disliked)
So games didn't make him do it, jack thompson did?
It'll be interesting, after Jack Thompsons' letter regarding Japan 'dumping all their filth' in the US whilst protecting their own children, which was, according to him 'like a second Pearl Harbor'...
He's basically moved himself into a lose-lose situation over events in Japan.
My first thought was that it could have been another Aum/Aleph attack, the same group that conducted the sarin attacks in the 90's, but this sounds like a lone nutter, besides Aleph preferred to use chemical attacks.
He probably just snapped as people are likely to do. You have to remember, this is Japan, where they have a term that literaly means, "worked to death".
On another chance, perhaps this was a very strongly anti-game person like you know who and they decided to snape and kill as many gamers as they could? So maybe we should now ban anti-game people? ;-)
That's pretty much what I was getting at. We'll probably find out exactly in the next day or two, maybe less since the guy is still alive.
...how this is relevant to GamePolitics? We have no evidence of video game involvement, at least not according to the sources cited. Just because the crime happened in a gaming-rich district doesn't necessarily denote any sort of real connection. Am I missing something here?
That said, my heart goes out to the victims and their families.
Is this your blog? Hm? It isn't? Then please don't blow unneeded steam. It doesn't really help anything.
My god, chill out. He made a good point. You're acting like you'd defend GP with your life.
What he said. I've seen similar comments before and i was just taking an approach is all. My bad.
I was merely asking a question. I requested, not demanded, an answer to it. I did not criticize the site, accuse Dennis of sensationalism, or resort to rudeness. So why're you jumping on me all of a sudden??
Um... i just said 'My bad.' Which means i apologised. I made a mistake, i'm sorry. Jeez.
As to your inquiry on how it is game related:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jun/09/japan?gusrc=rss&feed=network...
He too was a fan of video games and manga. Apparently played them obsessively, so we have another social shut in who, by the way, was apparently a very good tennis player as well. Maybe something in the world of little, linty yellow balls pushed himover the edge, but my money is on some prick blaming video games. Hell his favorite character was from and RPG...hardly the stuff of Niko Bellic and the like, and he also showed cognizance throughout the entire process. There was emotion, there was rage. There wasn't the 'mind shutting off, and systematic movement' that our good friend Mr. Thompson likes to point out.
What really blows my mind is that the government is having a knee jerk reaction, commenting on the need for regulations regarding knives. Couple that with all the ruddy quotes from passer-bys that Japan isn't a safe country any more, and I get the feeling that American media isn't the only sensationalist lot in the world.
The world ends with this guy.
In a word, brilliant.
I was just there last September (where I saw things like a Toyota-made and branded sewing machine), and with most of the shops, adults buy and play video games at the store kiosks equally with children-so video games will not be blamed at the local level like they would be in this country...
Ok before I make this comment I just want you to know that I love video games, played them for years, and do not believe that video games cause crime but....
This kind of attack is almost exactly what I do to people when I play GTA IV. DON'T KILL ME! I'm just saying the activity is similar. Maybe it's a total coincidence he chose Akihabara to commit this spree but I just can't help but notice the similarity.
*ducks to hide from incoming flames*
I think that is more because the game is centred around real life physics/settings etc, than real life is based on a computer game.
It's exactly the same, technically, to what I used to do when I was playing with plastic guns at 8 years old, I'd run into the local community hall with my gun going 'bang bang bang!', and, back in more innocent times, people would go 'urgh' and hold their hands to their hearts pretending to be shot.
That doesn't mean that real life was copying a game I was playing, it meant the game I was playing was emulating real life.
You were allowed to do that?
That sucks for the people.
Media blames games in 3.....2....1.....
I really don't think there is any danger of videogames being blamed for this attack. The mention of Akihabara is really just the reporter doing their job. When you write a story, the most important things you include are the basic who, what, when, WHERE, why and how.
Clearly did not play GTAIV.
The knife is the most annoying weapon in the game.
He was actually playing Ninja Gaiden.
He must have been playing Gland Theft-ah Autoo:Super Happy Plus Fun-Fun Edition.
How long until the media blames otaku/gamers? Even though if anything, they're the victims here...
Most American media doesn't really give a fuck about Japan.
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The really sad thing is this is not all that uncommon. There is a much higher level of stress that goes with living in japan, normally due to the need to be a success. It would drive anyone to snap if given the right trigger.
You sound surprised. The otaku culture is much stronger in Japan then geeks are in the Western world. And I thought the report said it was a stabbing, which makes sense given gun laws are also much stronger there.
Stabbing? What happened to bat boy?
To those worried, this won't get blamed on videogames. Japan might blame it on anime and give us another season of "Nice Boat", but Japan doesn't really have much in the way of vehement antigame people.
OF ocurse not since the game industry as I gather is a big part of their economy.
As for american not giving a crap about Japan, we got peopel here who'd rather we vaporized the entire country back in World War 2. Believe me, I knew one.....
-kurisu7885
The real question is why he didn't use a samurai sword. I mean if you are going to do it, do it right ffs. And when the police came he didn't put up any kind of fight whatsoever. He clearly fails at killing sprees, and probly at life 2 if he feels the need to go do one.
use a samurai sword?
do u have any idea how stupid that sounds
Sadly, these kinds of tragedies are becoming less and less rare. Japan really is a high-stress culture with little or no support for those effected. There may not be MUCH crime in Japan, but the crime that does happen is outrageously violent and random. Shocking stuff.
Games won't get the blame. I guess the media focus on Akihabara is simkply because it's one of those "weird" areas of Tokyo. Far more likely will be a few of the right-wingers blaming the influence of us violent and criminal foreigners who come here corrupting the otherwise law-abiding and peaceful Japan.
Political crackdown on video games has so far mostly been in the area of limiting/prohibiting sales of CERO-18 games to minors.
http://kotaku.com/5014476/details-surface-about-akihabara-killer-ninja-g...
Truly disturbing. Yahoo! News incorrectly points out: "On a different site, an anonymous posting on May 27 was entitled 'A disaster in Akihabara' and warned that an incident would take place on June 5." As commenter muu points out, the "disaster" that the thread is referring to? Ninja Gaiden 2 — which went on sale, you guessed it, on June 5th in, that's right, Akihabara. The thread is apparently nothing more than a fanboy flamewar. That Ninja Gaiden 2 Xbox 360/PS3 fanboy fight appeared on television news here as well (above). Yahoo! News Japan has pulled its original story, but at time of posting Yahoo! News was still running it.
No, this is all more evidence of a game industry cover up!!!
My condolences to the familys of the victims. I'm sure JT will capitalize on this and blame Devil May Cry.
Also I'm surprised no one made a Death Note Reference.
No one should blame the things the convict was in to, but blame the convist himself.
Heard about this yesterday, was amazing for it to happen so soon after the previous bad scenario that happened in Japan a few months ago. I'm apalled at how the media is trying to spin it, the man just wanted to attack a crowded place on his own, and succeeded.
@Christophe
That's just silly to say, "why didn't he use a samurai sword?" If you're trying to make a joke out of a tragedy, go join a parody site or something, we have meaningful discussions here. Don't tell me you've read some book on "how to go on a rampage for Dummies" or somethnig...-.-
NHK news just now showed he was constantly mailing some forum/friends/blog (wasn't paying too much attention) as he was on his way. "On my way to Akihabara now. Goodbye everybody" and "It's time" kind of things. This one might be put at the doorstep of 2channel, rather than games.
This is probally very high-profiel in Japan right now.
Imagine something like this happening at E3...
Now THAT would be really shocking.
I'm all for freedom of ttnet vitamin speech and allowing rent a car game makers to put whatever they want in games, but there's one thing about this app that has me scratching my head. Correct me if I'm wrong, but from araç kiralama the previous article araba kiralama on this I gathered that players can use Google maps in-game to find the other (real-life?) dealers in their area. If this is the case, has travesti anyone considered what's stopping someone from using this app to actually move drugs between hands for reals?
But majority araba kiralama of their outrage araç kiralama stems from what it could DO TO children, not the content itself. Talk to one of these people and you'll find they don't think any books kiralık araba should be banned from children. Mention American Psycho and they talk about kiralık araç the redeeming value of using imagination to construct a story. Reading, no matter what the content, is largely viewed as a consequenceless activity for people of any age. The reason why I mention American Psycho is because of the content itself. Gaming never has and likely never will have any scenes where someone has sex with a severed head. Not gonna happen. Yet despite this, they'll fight tooth and nail to protect their children from two boys kissing in Bully but whatever they read is harmless... yeah.
The entire arguement is kiralık oto based upon a social normality inflicted by luddites who can't figure out the controls for Halo so it's frightening and terrifying and obviously the cause of youth violence on the rise even though, in reality, it's in decline (which is actually a HUGE suprise given minibüs kiralama the economies status). In a perfect world, we would have parents that actually parent. The idea of sales restrictions on media on oto kiralama any form to accomidate parental unwillingness to get involved with their child's life is the real problem to me. Here I am, 32 years old, and being held up at a self-scan rent a car needing to show ID before I can buy a $10 M rated game all because Soccer Momthra can't be bothered to look at the crap Billy Genericallystupidson does in his free time. It's too hard for her, so I have to suffer?