News On Japan

Icelandic man assaults taxi driver in Osaka, flees without paying 3,000 yen

OSAKA, Oct 24 (News On Japan) - A 24-year-old man of Icelandic nationality has been arrested after punching a taxi driver in the face and fleeing without paying the fare.

Security camera footage from Oct 17 shows a passenger getting out of a taxi then banging the driver's door with his fist.

When the driver gets out, the passenger snatches his glasses, throws them to the ground, then punches the driver in the face before walking away.

Security cameras captured the Icelandic man walking down the shopping street right after the incident.

The taxi driver is seen chasing him.

Subsequently, the man assaulted the driver again, about 180 meters away from the original scene in Kita Ward, Osaka, and then fled in the direction of the station.

The amount of money involved was approximately 3,000 yen, and the 59-year-old driver was seriously injured, breaking bones below the eye socket.

The suspect was arrested on Oct 21, and has remained silent during the investigation.

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

Chubu Electric Power has begun dismantling the reactor at Unit 2 of the Hamaoka Nuclear Power Plant in Omaezaki, Shizuoka Prefecture, on Monday. This marks the first time a commercial nuclear reactor is being dismantled in Japan.

The controversy surrounding Prime Minister Ishiba’s 100,000-yen voucher program continued to face scrutiny in the Diet on Monday, with opposition parties intensifying their criticism. Within the ruling party, concerns are mounting that Ishiba may be an electoral liability.

Mount Fuji will officially become a paid climb, as the Shizuoka Prefectural Assembly approved an ordinance on March 17th requiring hikers to pay a 4,000 yen entry fee. Following Yamanashi’s lead, Shizuoka will implement the fee starting in the summer of 2025.

A foreign man was caught trespassing on the Imperial Palace grounds early on March 16th and was arrested on the spot.

A new leisure complex, Gravitate Osaka, opens this week near Aigawa Dam in Ibaraki, Osaka, featuring restaurants, activity areas, and Japan’s longest suspension bridge, stretching 420 meters.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Society NEWS

The risk of having personal information exposed online is something nearly everyone now faces. An investigation revealed that even a seemingly harmless photo can contain hidden risks, and that there are people who specialize in "identification" as a profession.

A foreign man was caught trespassing on the Imperial Palace grounds early on March 16th and was arrested on the spot.

Six teenagers have been caught for repeated reckless motorbike riding in Tokyo’s Hino and Hachioji, ignoring traffic signals and weaving through the streets.

In Japan, one in every 24 babies is born to foreign parents. For many of these parents, giving birth and raising a child in an unfamiliar country can be daunting. Language barriers and cultural differences often lead to isolation, sometimes resulting in prenatal or postnatal depression.

"The Human Face of Japan" (1982), directed and written by Oliver Howes and narrated by Peter Gwynne, is an insightful documentary produced by Film Australia in collaboration with the Australia-Japan Foundation. This compelling documentary series offers an intimate exploration of Japan during the early 1980s, revealing the complex interplay between rapid industrialization and enduring traditional values. (TRNGL)

Mysterious circular patterns resembling crop circles have appeared at a shrine in Tosu City, Saga Prefecture, where traditional rituals for health and well-being are performed. A notice posted at the shrine reads: “Visitors are finding this unsettling. Please stop making these markings.”

The Japanese city of Kamaishi was almost entirely destroyed in the earthquake and ensuing tsunami of 2011. It was the biggest natural disaster to hit Japan, killing nearly 20,000 people. (Al Jazeera)

For over half a century, Nagasaki Prefecture has waged a relentless battle against biker gangs, groups known for their reckless, illegal street racing that disturbed public order and endangered lives. Now, after years of intensified crackdowns, Nagasaki police have announced the virtual eradication of biker gangs, culminating in the recent disbandment of the last remaining group in January 2025.