JR Japan Train Unknown Spray Incident: 3 Unwell, 16-Year-Old Boy Arrested
An incident occurred on the JR Tokaido Line where an unknown spray was dispersed inside a train car, leading to three people being hospitalized and the train service being halted. Police today arrested a 16-year-old boy on suspicion of 'forcible obstruction of business'.
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- 📰 Published: May 12, 2026 at 12:16
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Central News Agency
(Central News Agency, Tokyo, 12th May, comprehensive foreign report) A social incident occurred on the JR Tokaido Line in Japan on the 10th of this month, where someone sprayed an unknown substance inside a train car, causing three people to be hospitalized and the train service to be suspended. Police today arrested a 16-year-old boy on suspicion of 'forcible obstruction of business'.
According to reports from 'Asahi Shimbun' and 'NHK', Kanagawa Prefectural Police announced the arrest of the suspect today, stating that the suspect confessed, 'It is true that I sprayed the spray I possessed, causing other passengers to have sore throats and the train to stop,' admitting to the crime.
The police also stated that the suspect lives in Ota Ward, Tokyo, and identifies himself as a civil engineering worker. He is suspected of spraying an unknown substance around 4:32 PM on the 10th of this month, inside a Tokaido Line train stopped at JR Yokohama Station and heading towards Kawasaki, causing passengers in the car to have sore throats, the train to make an emergency stop, and train operations to be delayed by 2 hours and 15 minutes.
At the time, a couple in their 30s with their 1-year-old daughter felt throat discomfort and were later hospitalized. Fortunately, their symptoms were mild.
After the train made an emergency stop at Kawasaki Station, police and firefighters rushed to the scene, causing a commotion.
Several passengers stated that while the family of three was in the green car (equivalent to business class), several young men and women, including the suspect, entered the car from the adjacent car. When they left the car, a 'peppery smell immediately emerged'.
After investigation by the fire department, no toxic components were detected in the train car.
The JR Tokaido Line service was affected by this incident and resumed approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes later, impacting about 1,200 passengers.
Police reviewed surveillance camera footage inside the train car to track down the suspect and later identified the 16-year-old boy. Police are currently investigating the details of the case. (Compiler: Yang Wei-ching) 1150512
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(Central News Agency, Tokyo, 12th May, comprehensive foreign report) A social incident occurred on the JR Tokaido Line in Japan on the 10th of this month, where someone sprayed an unknown substance inside a train car, causing three people to be hospitalized and the train service to be suspended. Police today arrested a 16-year-old boy on suspicion of 'forcible obstruction of business'.
According to reports from 'Asahi Shimbun' and 'NHK', Kanagawa Prefectural Police announced the arrest of the suspect today, stating that the suspect confessed, 'It is true that I sprayed the spray I possessed, causing other passengers to have sore throats and the train to stop,' admitting to the crime.
The police also stated that the suspect lives in Ota Ward, Tokyo, and identifies himself as a civil engineering worker. He is suspected of spraying an unknown substance around 4:32 PM on the 10th of this month, inside a Tokaido Line train stopped at JR Yokohama Station and heading towards Kawasaki, causing passengers in the car to have sore throats, the train to make an emergency stop, and train operations to be delayed by 2 hours and 15 minutes.
At the time, a couple in their 30s with their 1-year-old daughter felt throat discomfort and were later hospitalized. Fortunately, their symptoms were mild.
After the train made an emergency stop at Kawasaki Station, police and firefighters rushed to the scene, causing a commotion.
Several passengers stated that while the family of three was in the green car (equivalent to business class), several young men and women, including the suspect, entered the car from the adjacent car. When they left the car, a 'peppery smell immediately emerged'.
After investigation by the fire department, no toxic components were detected in the train car.
The JR Tokaido Line service was affected by this incident and resumed approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes later, impacting about 1,200 passengers.
Police reviewed surveillance camera footage inside the train car to track down the suspect and later identified the 16-year-old boy. Police are currently investigating the details of the case. (Compiler: Yang Wei-ching) 1150512
Choose to stand with the facts, every sponsorship you make is a force to protect press freedom.
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No text, images, or audio/video on this website may be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.