YAMANASHI (TR) – An argument over train etiquette was the cause of a violent altercation between groups of foreign tourists inside a carriage in Yamanashi Prefecture last week.
According to the Yamanashi Broadcasting System (Apr. 3), the incident occurred on a Fujikyuko Line train traveling through Tsuru City on April 3.
At around noon, two groups of foreign nationals became embroiled in a heated verbal dispute that quickly escalated into a physical fistfight inside the carriage.
The source of the dispute was whether or not a member of one of the groups had “stuck their leg out,” and the argument escalated into a fistfight in some cases.
The onboard chaos prompted the train, which connects travelers to popular sightseeing spots at the northern foothills of Mount Fuji in Yamanashi, to make an emergency halt, plunging the local transit network into disarray.
Foreigners brawled inside a train in Yamanashi Prefecture on April 3 (X)
The railway operator confirmed that operations on the Fujikyuko Line were temporarily suspended to handle the situation. The brawl resulted in the cancellation or delay of 16 trains in both directions.
The disruption affected an estimated 2,150 passengers, leaving local commuters, students and other tourists stranded while authorities responded to the scene.
Local police are currently investigating the exact circumstances that triggered the clash. It remains unconfirmed whether any of the participants have been taken into police custody or if any injuries were reported among bystanders.
AloJapan.com