Spray-Attack Defendant Testifies He Acted Out of Frustration Over Lost Freedom

I looked for someone who seemed weaker than me

The first trial for Hideo Negishi (61, age at arrest)—charged with assault and property damage for spraying a woman with color spray at a commercial facility in Adachi Ward, Tokyo—was held on November 6 at the Tokyo District Court. What came out of the defendant’s mouth was an astonishing motive.

According to the indictment, Negishi is suspected of chasing a woman in her 30s and spraying her with color spray, staining her clothing.

Negishi entered the courtroom with a vacant expression. At one point he appeared slightly surprised to see the spectator seats filled to capacity. But when the judge asked, “Is there anything incorrect in the indictment?”, he quickly replied, “There is no mistake.”

“Upon his arrest, Negishi stated:

‘I had debts and health problems, and I felt I wouldn’t mind dying. I thought I could survive if I went to prison, so starting around February this year I carried spray and a knife, intending to commit a crime.’

‘I walked around places like Asakusa and Akihabara looking for someone who seemed weaker than me.’

‘I planned to blind someone with spray and then stab them with a knife.’

Security cameras in the commercial facility captured Negishi relentlessly chasing the woman and spraying the color paint. The woman and Negishi were strangers—this was a completely random attack.” (investigative source)

After graduating junior high school, Negishi worked at a factory, and from age 35 worked as a photographer at a photo studio. He served as the exclusive photographer for KENZI, the vocalist of the visual-kei band Anti-Feminism and drummer of The Dead Pop Stars (dps). His reputation was said to be fairly good.

After that, he worked various jobs including as a cleaner, and prior to his arrest was employed at a liquor shop.

“It was so hot in the detention center, there was no air-conditioning and I couldn’t sleep.”

Diagnosed with insomnia in September last year, Negishi became unable to work properly at the liquor shop and quit in February. He had about 1 million yen in debt to consumer finance companies and became increasingly anxious about his future. At that time, he happened to watch videos about prison life online. Negishi stated:

“If I go to prison, I’ll have work to do and meals to eat. If I’m incarcerated, I won’t have to worry about my future life anymore, so I thought I’d stab someone with a knife.”

It was an astonishingly shallow and impulsive motive.

After that, he began walking around the city carrying a knife, looking for an opportunity to commit a crime. However, when his defense attorney asked, “Did you actually intend to stab someone with the knife?”, he replied:

“No. I didn’t.”

He explained:

“I couldn’t do it because I realized it would be a big problem if I seriously injured someone.”

This, at least, prevented the crime from escalating into something far worse.

In fact, even when he sprayed the woman with color paint, the knife was still in his bag, still wrapped exactly as it had been when he bought it.

Although Negishi wanted to be arrested, once he actually was, he found the reality very different from what the online videos had led him to believe.

“I thought I could live comfortably and get regular meals. There was air-conditioning in the holding cell, but the food wasn’t very good. In the detention center, there was no air-conditioning at all, and I couldn’t sleep. I had no freedom.”

He expressed deep regret, then bowed his head:

“I am very sorry for causing trouble to the victim and to everyone. I want to live an honest life from now on.”

It is fortunate the case did not escalate into a major tragedy, but the story remains a painfully sad account of a life in deep decline.