Slashing at AKB48 Handshake Event - 2 Members Injured

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Shoujo Q
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Slashing at AKB48 Handshake Event - 2 Members Injured

Post by Shoujo Q »

I don't want to taint Club48 with this news.

 
Some sad/bad/shocking news to report.


Today, there was an incident at a AKB48 handshake event. A 24-year old male wounded two members (Kawaei Rina and Iriyama Anna of Team A) and a male-staff member with a knife (reported as being a small handsaw).

They are being treated at a local hospital  with non-life threatening injuries.

Source Video/Article
 
Some fan reports 1 / 2
 
This is going to change the idol world forever I think. At least the AKB48 kingdom. 
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Re: Slashing at AKB48 Handshake Event - 2 Members Injured

Post by aine »

Freaking head cases everywhere this weekend. :sick:

We can only hope that you're wrong about this last part and the stupid media won't hype it up beyond reason and stigmatize the idol industry. :facepalm:
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Re: Slashing at AKB48 Handshake Event - 2 Members Injured

Post by Ap2000 »

According to the NHK article, the three injured are not unconscious, but their exact state is not known.
It also says there was a patrol car and five policemen near it, so I guess they were able to get there pretty fast when the report came in.
 
The rest of the article is just about what handshake events are and what trouble they had before.
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Re: Slashing at AKB48 Handshake Event - 2 Members Injured

Post by Shoujo Q »

Official AKS statement. From Stage48
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">
本日、岩手県滝沢市:岩手産業文化センターアピオにて開催されましたAKB48 33rdシングル「ハート・エレキ」35thシングル「前しか向かねえ」の握手会会場にて、AKB48メンバー入山杏奈・川栄李奈、及び会場整理スタッフ1名が刃物を持ったファンに襲われ、手を負傷しました。
<div> </div>
<div> 現状、入山・川栄・会場整理スタッフは病院で手当てを受けております。3人ともに命に別状はございません。</div>
<div> </div>
<div> ファンの皆様にご心配おかけしましたことを深くお詫び申し上げます。入山・川栄の症状がわかり次第、改めてご報告させていただきます。 </div>
<div> </div>
<div> なお、川栄と入山は同じレーンで握手会を行っており、被害に遭った。男は一列に並んだレーンから突然襲いかかったという。</div>
 
</blockquote>
<div> </div>
<div>

Today, at the "Heart Ereki" / "Mae shika mukanee" handshake event held at the Iwate Industry Culture & Convention Center in Takizawa City, AKB48 members Kawaei Rina, Iriyama Anna and a staff member were injured by a fan carrying an edged tool.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The three are currently being taken care of. Their lives are not in danger.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>We deeply apologize for the worry and distress this is causing to the fans. We will further report on the condition of the two members once we find out more.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Kawaei and Iriyama were part of the same handshake lane. The male suspect was in line when suddenly attacking both members.</div>
</blockquote>
 
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Re: Slashing at AKB48 Handshake Event - 2 Members Injured

Post by Anderei »

Another site says that Anna has a head injury and is reportedly in surgery, while the other two have hand injuries. Dude had a 50cm nokogiri.


I wonder how they're going to reconcile threats like these with the need to do handshakes in order to keep sales going. I could see something like this change the way other idol groups do things to because it could happen to someone else as well.
 
Edit: Kawaei was injured in the head, Iriyama was stabbed in the arm.
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Re: Slashing at AKB48 Handshake Event - 2 Members Injured

Post by momoirosaya »

Oh my gosh I hope the girls and the staff are okay... I'm sure they will all (especially Anna and Rina) not want to do handshake events now out of fear...
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Re: Slashing at AKB48 Handshake Event - 2 Members Injured

Post by Anderei »

They're saying that Kawaei had to undergo a three hour surgery but is fine now.
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Re: Slashing at AKB48 Handshake Event - 2 Members Injured

Post by Shoujo Q »

More detailed report from ANN. It basically brings together all the bits of info I've found into one neat English language package.
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote">
 
AKB48 idol group members Anna Iriyama (18) and Rina Kawaei (19), as well as a male staff member, underwent surgery for their injuries after a man attacked them at a handshake event on Sunday. The surgery began at 9:00 p.m. and lasted three hours with no complications.
<div> </div>
<div>Kawaei suffered a laceration and bone fracture in her right thumb, while Iriyama suffered a fracture in her right pinky finger and a laceration to the head. The male staff member suffered cuts to his left hand.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>The suspect, identified as 24-year-old Satoru Umeta, admitted to the charge of attempted murder on Iriyama and Kawaei after he was arrested. Umeta's mother responded to press inquiries on Sunday night, saying that he did a terrible thing, and that it is appropriate that she apologize. When asked about whether or not he was a fan of AKB48, she said she never saw anything like CDs or handshake event tickets in the house.</div>
<div> </div>
<div>Umeta lives with his mother and three older brothers. He held several part-time jobs in Towada since graduating high school, and quit the most recent one in December. He has since been unemployed with shut-in tendencies.</div>
</blockquote>
 
 
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Re: Slashing at AKB48 Handshake Event - 2 Members Injured

Post by JPope »

Holy shit, that's messed up. Now they're gonna have to worry about copy-cats.
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Re: Slashing at AKB48 Handshake Event - 2 Members Injured

Post by showraniy »

I'm less worried about how idol culture appears to outsiders after this, and more worried about how the idols' companies will have to handle fan-meets after this. AKB's claim to fame is keeping the girls close to their fans, so I have no idea how they'll manage that trying to protect them from these kinds of situations in the future.
 
I don't do handshakes personally, so it's no skin off my back how the events change if at all, but I still wonder.
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Re: Slashing at AKB48 Handshake Event - 2 Members Injured

Post by aine »

Western media picked it up:

ABC News (via AP)
Reuters

At least it's pretty factual rather than sensational.
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Re: Slashing at AKB48 Handshake Event - 2 Members Injured

Post by star »

The Reuters article says the man was a high school drop out, but the ANN article clearly states he had graduated high school. Its a minor difference but something like graduating high school can drastically change how some people view a person.
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Re: Slashing at AKB48 Handshake Event - 2 Members Injured

Post by Swtess »

Oh my, hope the girls recover smoothly.  
 
This will surely tighten up security.
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Re: Slashing at AKB48 Handshake Event - 2 Members Injured

Post by NekoKaiSai »

[quote="Star"]
The Reuters article says the man was a high school drop out, but the ANN article clearly states he had graduated high school. Its a minor difference but something like graduating high school can drastically change how some people view a person.
[/quote]
 
Oh Star, allow me to introduce you to the world of German news media.  There's weird as fuck racism from the Spiegel (online) that says that since they're in different teams and do stuff at the same time but different places, it helps that they all look alike.  Then there's Die Welt that begins the article thusly: The Japanese girl-popband AKB48 is one of the oddest in the world: The fans elect the leader, the girls aren't allowed to have a boyfriend.  Now it's come to an attack with serious injuries.
 
Hahaha, what an odd group!  Silling Japanese idols being attack. :cop:  /sarcasm
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Re: Slashing at AKB48 Handshake Event - 2 Members Injured

Post by star »

Which is why I hate western media.
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Re: Slashing at AKB48 Handshake Event - 2 Members Injured

Post by Ap2000 »

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="NekoKai" data-cid="176233" data-time="1401126229">There's weird as fuck racism from the Spiegel (online) that says that since they're in different teams and do stuff at the same time but different places, it helps that they all look alike.</blockquote>
I did not understand it as such and I think you might interpret too much with saying that there was such a clear connection made.
I didn't read all of the other Spiegel article, but it seems that one is more about how the members are being "produced" to act in a very idol manner. Basically pushed to act and appear as a group. It's not trying to say "all Asians look the same".
And let's be honest, if you'd see an AKB performance from a distance and they all wear the exact same outfit, you can easily think they all appear as the same.

Die Welt started off the article extremely suggestive.
Didn't read the rest.

@Star; "eastern" media is not better at all. They're just as much pushed by political agendas and you can find dozen media outlets that report stupid stuff about other Asian countries.
Just look at all the bullshit Korean newspapers and their websites put up.
And let's not forget Friday in Japan...
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Re: Slashing at AKB48 Handshake Event - 2 Members Injured

Post by eri »

How terrifying and sad for everyone that was there.  I read this news, still dwelling on the murders in Santa Barbara.  At the very least, I'm glad Japan doesn't let people have guns or else this handshake event could have been deadly.  
 
And, this does not at all help with the stigma that idol fans are all psycho shut ins with violent tendencies...
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Re: Slashing at AKB48 Handshake Event - 2 Members Injured

Post by NekoKaiSai »

[quote="eri"]
How terrifying and sad for everyone that was there.  I read this news, still dwelling on the murders in Santa Barbara.  At the very least, I'm glad Japan doesn't let people have guns or else this handshake event could have been deadly.  
 
And, this does not at all help with the stigma that idol fans are all psycho shut ins with violent tendencies...
[/quote]
 
He wasn't a fan according to Mainichi, so I don't think there'll be much to worry about in that aspect.
 
[quote="Ap2000"]
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="NekoKai" data-cid="176233" data-time="1401126229">
There's weird as fuck racism from the Spiegel (online) that says that since they're in different teams and do stuff at the same time but different places, it helps that they all look alike.
</blockquote>


I did not understand it as such and I think you might interpret too much with saying that there was such a clear connection made.

I didn't read all of the other Spiegel article, but it seems that one is more about how the members are being "produced" to act in a very idol manner. Basically pushed to act and appear as a group. It's not trying to say "all Asians look the same".

And let's be honest, if you'd see an AKB performance from a distance and they all wear the exact same outfit, you can easily think they all appear as the same.


Die Welt started off the article extremely suggestive.

Didn't read the rest.


@Star; "eastern" media is not better at all. They're just as much pushed by political agendas and you can find dozen media outlets that report stupid stuff about other Asian countries.

Just look at all the bullshit Korean newspapers and their websites put up.

And let's not forget Friday in Japan...
 
[/quote]
 
That's possible, it just kind of came off to me as a "The group can be everywhere at once and no one can tell the difference." kind of thing.  The article you linked doesn't sound that way at all, I think the Spiegel just needed to tell people a little about AKB48 and took a section from that article out of contex because they couldn't figure out a better way to convey "Cohesive, manufactured group."
 
Also, do you mean Friday as in the magazine, or did something happen on Friday in Japan?
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Re: Slashing at AKB48 Handshake Event - 2 Members Injured

Post by Kalle »

^ I think he means Friday the magazine.
 
My boyfriend and I were talking about this last night, and he worried about whether or not this meant they would do away with events like this entirely, comparing it to the security measures they ended up taking at airports after 9/11. I told him that while it's true they had to do something, it was, at least, a necessary evil and that it hasn't barred people from flying places at all. I think they really just need to tighten their security game -- have stricter and more vigilant bag checks and the like -- because as cynical as it sounds, cutting out handshake events like this entirely will only lose them fans and sales in the long run.
 
Nevertheless, I'm glad they made it through okay and that this kind of thing doesn't happen to any more of the members anytime soon. :nono:
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Re: Slashing at AKB48 Handshake Event - 2 Members Injured

Post by Ap2000 »

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="NekoKai" data-cid="176255" data-time="1401190602">That's possible, it just kind of came off to me as a "The group can be everywhere at once and no one can tell the difference." kind of thing.  The article you linked doesn't sound that way at all, I think the Spiegel just needed to tell people a little about AKB48 and took a section from that article out of contex because they couldn't figure out a better way to convey "Cohesive, manufactured group."
 
Also, do you mean Friday as in the magazine, or did something happen on Friday in Japan?</blockquote>
Friday the magazine, that did all that shit with H!P. Most prominently the Kago thing.
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Re: Slashing at AKB48 Handshake Event - 2 Members Injured

Post by aine »

BBC ran a story about it too. At one point it was the 5th most read overall BBC News articles yesterday.

This is getting way more media attention than I hoped it would.
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Re: Slashing at AKB48 Handshake Event - 2 Members Injured

Post by arcobaleno »

After the attention that this has caused, I'm worried for members like Sashihara who have gotten death threats in the past. Seeing the massive amount of attention this thing is getting could make any crazy jump for that chance (or others)  :nono:
 
I'm glad they're both okay, along with the staff guy. Especially for Iriyama, who sustained head wounds.
 
I doubt they'll do away with these handshake events entirely. Both Kawaei and Iriyama, along with Sashihara, have publicly said they hope this incident doesn't affect their whole "girls you can meet" image. As nice as that would be, for them and the fans, I'm thinking that's of course impossible. After a thing like this, I don't think anyone could just go back to how it was and not worry about it or feel naturally responsible for keeping them safe. At that point, if they don't have more security, you just kinda might have to blame the staff for any other incidents that follow.
 
Tighter security measures would be better, but if someone is really hellbent on doing damage, who knows if even those would work.
 
I'm also kinda surprised it's taken this long for something like this to happen. With the psychos out there that there are, AKB's popularity as a whole, the sensationalism that crime usually gets (especially when mixed with a popular thing), it's a miracle that they went on this long without such an incident.
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