At first, judging by the thumbnail, I thought it was a fight between two people, but it turns out a middle-aged man with a child—who had nothing to do with the situation—was also being attacked. This is a video, filmed near the Miraina Tower ticket gates at Shinjuku Station, of a man swinging around an object that looks like a baton.
Video
Video
Why Carrying a Special Baton Can Lead to Criminal Charges
The type of expandable baton seen in the footage does not fall under the categories of swords or firearms regulated by Japan’s Swords and Firearms Control Law; therefore, mere possession is not inherently illegal. However, Article 1, Item 2 of the Minor Offenses Act prohibits the concealed carrying of instruments capable of inflicting serious harm on human life or the body without a legitimate reason. Consequently, carrying such a baton in public without a valid justification could lead to a charge of “carrying a dangerous weapon.” While the statutory penalties are relatively light—consisting of detention for less than 30 days or a petty fine of less than 10,000 yen (often settled at around 9,000 yen in practice)—it is important to note that this results in a formal criminal record.
Furthermore, Shinjuku Station—the site of the alleged incident—is one of the world’s largest terminal stations, serving approximately 3.53 million passengers daily across five railway operators: JR East, Keio, Odakyu, Tokyo Metro, and the Toei Subway. Recognized by Guinness World Records as the “busiest station in the world,” it is a space where large crowds congregate, creating a comparatively higher risk that sudden acts of violence could involve uninvolved bystanders.
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