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The Neomugicha incident (ネオむぎ茶事件, Neomugicha jiken), also known as the Nishi-Tetsu busjacking incident (西鉄バスジャック事件, Nishi-Tetsu basujakku jiken)[1] is the name given to the hijacking of a Japanese bus by a user of the internet forum2channel on May 3, 2000.
Incident
A Nishi-Tetsu bus, similar to the one hijacked.
An hour after posting a cryptic threat in a 2channel thread under the name "Neomugicha" (ネオむぎ茶; lit.'Neo-Barley Tea'), an unnamed 17-year-old hijacked a bus managed by Nishi-Nippon Railroad in Dazaifu, Fukuoka at 1:35p.m.[2] Armed with a chef's knife, he stabbed one passenger to death and injured two.[3]
The hijacking was reported by 2:47p.m. by a 40year old female passenger after she was able to escape from the bus.[2]
The Special Assault Team's Osaka and Fukuoka teams stormed the hijacked bus and captured the teenager alive.[4][5][a] The teenager was arrested under the Firearm and Sword Control Law and the Law for the Punishment of Extortion Involving Hostage-Taking.[6] Due to the self-defense requirements as stipulated in the Law Concerning Execution of Duties of Police Officials, it took more than 15hours for the hostage crisis to end.[7]
In 2006, the suspect was officially released from a medical reformatory facility.[8] This action led to calls to reform the Juvenile Act, which had been law since 1948.[8]
The Hiroshima Prefectural Police established the Hostage Rescue Team in the Hiroshima Prefectural Police's Criminal Investigation Department as part of lessons learned from the incident.[9]
Copycat crimes
A poster named "Neoūroncha" (ネオ烏龍茶; lit.'Neo-Oolong Tea') attempted to imitate "Neomugicha" by plotting to blow up the Odakyu Electric Railway in Japan and posting warnings about it on 2channel. Soon after the incident, however, the Japanese police were keeping a close eye on 2channel, so he was identified and arrested before his plan could be carried out. A poster called "Neobīru" (ネオビール; lit.'Neo-Beer') also attempted to imitate the incident, planning a terrorist attack on a railway company, but he was also arrested.[3]
