TOKYO: The suspect in a knife and arson attack that injured 17 people on a Tokyo train Sunday evening is believed to have specifically targeted a limited express train to carry out his attack, sources familiar with the investigation said Tuesday.

The 24-year-old suspect, Kyota Hattori, has told police investigators that limited express trains have longer travel time between each station and a larger number of passengers than other trains, according to the sources.

Hattori has told the investigators that he thought he would definitely be able to kill people on a train, according to the sources. He carried out the attack on a limited express train bound for Shinjuku from Hachioji on Keio Corp.’s Keio Line.

The police also found that Hattori had been staying at a Hachioji hotel from a month before the attack and had been frequently using Keio Line limited express trains to get to central Tokyo.

He was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in connection with Sunday’s attack.

Shortly after boarding the train from Chofu Station at around 8 p.m. on Sunday (11 a.m. GMT), Hattori allegedly sprayed a 72-year-old man and stabbed him in the right chest, leaving him unconscious and in critical condition.

Hattori then moved to a different train car and sprayed what appeared to be lighter fluid onto the floor and set fire to it with a lighter, burning the floor and seats.

According to the investigative sources, Hattori is originally from Fukuoka. He left the western city between June and July this year after quitting his job due to relationship problems.

He then moved to the western city of Kobe and the central city of Nagoya before settling in Hachioji in late September. He told the investigators that he came to Tokyo because he thought that he could kill a lot of people.

On the day of the attack, Hattori wore an outfit similar to that of the Batman villain the Joker. He has told the investigators that he bought the costume for the attack as he admired the character.

JIJI Press