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Tokaido Shinkansen stabbings

On 9 June 2018, a 22-year-old man attacked passengers with a billhook aboard a Tokaido Shinkansen train in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, killing one person and seriously injuring two others.

SOLVED2018

Tokaido Shinkansen, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan

3 SOURCESUPDATED JUL 2026
Illustrative

On the night of 9 June 2018, an attack occurred aboard the Tokaido Shinkansen, a high-speed train line running through Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. 22-year-old Ichiro Kojima attacked passengers on the train using a billhook. The attack resulted in one death and left two other people seriously injured.

Kojima was arrested by police in connection with the attack and was subsequently charged with murder along with other charges. Kojima said, "It was a hassle to think for myself and live. I thought it would be easier to live within the rules set by others, so I aimed for life imprisonment."

The case proceeded through the Japanese court system, and in December 2019 Kojima was sentenced to life imprisonment. This sentence was confirmed in January 2020.

Following the attack, companies that operate the Shinkansen worked to strengthen safety measures on the trains in response to the incident.

Key facts

Victims
On file
Date
2018
Location
Tokaido Shinkansen, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan
Case status
solved

Case timeline

  1. 2018-06-09

    22-year-old Ichiro Kojima attacked passengers with a billhook on the Tokaido Shinkansen train in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, killing one person and seriously injuring two others. He was arrested by police.

  2. 2019-12

    Kojima was sentenced to life imprisonment.

  3. 2020-01

    The life imprisonment sentence was confirmed.

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People

  • Ichiro Kojima

    CONVICTED

    Charged with murder and other charges following the attack; sentenced to life imprisonment in December 2019, confirmed January 2020.

Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.

Places

Tokaido Shinkansen, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan

35.4545, 139.5249

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Common questions

What happened to the victim?
On 9 June 2018, a 22-year-old man attacked passengers with a billhook aboard a Tokaido Shinkansen train in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, killing one person and seriously injuring two others.
Where did the crime happen?
Tokaido Shinkansen, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.
Who was convicted?
Ichiro Kojima (Charged with murder and other charges following the attack; sentenced to life imprisonment in December 2019, confirmed January 2020.).
What is the current status of the case?
Status: solved.
More cases in Japan

Sources

  1. ENCYCLOPEDICList of mass stabbing incidents (2010–2019)Wikipedia · 2026-07-07
  2. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — BBC NewsBBC News · 2026-07-07
  3. PRESSContemporaneous coverage — The GuardianThe Guardian · 2026-07-07

Record history

First published
JUL 07, 2026

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