After a limited express train struck and killed four track workers on the Tobu Nikko Line in Kanuma City, Tochigi Prefecture, users on 5channel (Japan’s largest anonymous forum) raised questions about why two of the four victims were reported as having an “unknown occupation.” Discussion also centered on how the workers failed to evacuate even though a lookout had waved a flag and the train had sounded its horn, as well as the fact that two of the four victims lived together at the same residence in Utsunomiya.
Identities of four workers killed after being struck by limited express train on Tobu Nikko Line tracks confirmed — Kanuma City, Tochigi
Police announced tonight that the identities of the four deceased have been confirmed.
The four are Kazuyoshi Ishikawa (67) and Toshihiko Watanabe (65), both of unknown occupation, who lived together at a residence in Kamiozo, Utsunomiya; Shigenobu Ōge (53), of unknown occupation, from Tega, Nikko City; and company employee Kazuya Sato (54), from Kiwatajima, Nikko City.
Source: news.yahoo.co.jp / original article here
12AnonymousAug 20, 2026 20:47
Don't tell me they were using Timee (a Japanese gig-work app for booking same-day temp jobs) for this…
28AnonymousAug 20, 2026 20:52
Re: #12
There was apparently a Timee listing for it
17AnonymousAug 20, 2026 20:48
A 67-year-old and a 65-year-old living together in the same house… what's the relationship there?
26AnonymousAug 20, 2026 20:50
Hold on, the law requires a lookout or guard to be posted whenever this kind of work is done.
So what was the guy in that role even doing?
32AnonymousAug 20, 2026 20:53
Re: #26
In the accident where the limited express Spacia X No. 2 struck and killed four male workers at Shin-Kanuma Station on the Tobu Nikko Line on the morning of the 20th, Tobu Railway told reporters that the work lookout had signaled the driver with a flag, and the driver had sounded the horn in response. It appears the workers were unable to evacuate for some reason.
According to Tobu Railway, when weeding or other work is done on the tracks, the lookout is supposed to signal with a flag that work is underway whenever a train approaches. This time too, a green flag was raised, and the driver sounded the horn to confirm the flag had been seen.
59AnonymousAug 20, 2026 21:00
People are blaming the lookout, but
the lookout is only told to wave a flag when a train comes.
They're not actually obligated to ensure the safety of the workers on site,
and they probably aren't paid enough to carry that kind of responsibility anyway.
63AnonymousAug 20, 2026 21:01
Re: #59
If you're getting paid, give it your all.
165AnonymousAug 21, 2026 00:11
Re: #59
Wasn't the lookout supposed to be a Tobu employee though?
If even they don't take accident prevention seriously, the poor Timee workers can't exactly trust them with their lives.
92AnonymousAug 20, 2026 21:16
So the people who can't spare a thought for others' lives and happiness are the ones sitting at the top of society.
93fusianasan (a legendary 5ch screen name — using it was once a 'trap' that could expose the poster's real identity, so it's now a running joke handle)Aug 20, 2026 21:17
Re: #92
｡ﾟ(ﾟ´Д｀ﾟ)ﾟ｡ (a crying kaomoji)
94AnonymousAug 20, 2026 21:17
Re: #92
Have you never heard of Keidanren? (Japan's powerful business lobby, the Japan Business Federation)
112AnonymousAug 20, 2026 21:44
The line about them 'living together at a residence' isn't in the linked article anymore, is it? Did they delete it?
122AnonymousAug 20, 2026 22:12
674 Anonymous Donburako 2026/08/20(木) 21:58:56.28 ID:9mFOTBza0
You're right.
(Before edit) The four are Kazuyoshi Ishikawa (67) and Toshihiko Watanabe (65), both of unknown occupation, who lived together at a residence in Kamiozo, Utsunomiya; Shigenobu Ōge (53), of unknown occupation, from Tega, Nikko City; and company employee Kazuya Sato (54), from Kiwatajima, Nikko City.
(After edit) The four are Kazuyoshi Ishikawa (67) and Toshihiko Watanabe (65), both of unknown occupation, from Kamiozo, Utsunomiya; Shigenobu Ōge (53), of unknown occupation, from Tega, Nikko City; and company employee Kazuya Sato (54), from Kiwatajima, Nikko City.
126fusianasanAug 20, 2026 22:21
Re: #112
Re: #122
Whaaat……
This is TBS (a major Japanese TV network/news outlet) we're talking about……
125AnonymousAug 20, 2026 22:20
Isn't track work usually done at night?
128fusianasanAug 20, 2026 22:23
Re: #125
That's what I thought too.
11 AM, in broad daylight, really?
127AnonymousAug 20, 2026 22:22
Even if they weren't directly employed by Tobu, they were still track maintenance workers, lol.
Why report it as 'unknown occupation'?
129fusianasanAug 20, 2026 22:24
Re: #127
There must be some dark secret they really don't want to say.
149AnonymousAug 20, 2026 23:23
What could 'unable to evacuate for some reason' actually mean?
Let's list out the possible factors.
One each, everybody.
153AnonymousAug 20, 2026 23:28
Re: #149
Maybe no flag was actually waved and no horn actually sounded.
155fusianasanAug 20, 2026 23:33
Re: #149
Maybe there actually was no lookout at all.
154AnonymousAug 20, 2026 23:29
Is JR the only company where a driver involved in a fatal accident gets a week off to protect their mental health?
160AnonymousAug 20, 2026 23:47
Re: #154
Private railways don't have such a soft rule.
Tobu even has a hardcore driver who's been in two fatal accidents on the same train.
*This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5channel (Hello! Project board) thread “The Mystery: Track Worker Hit by Tobu Line Train Was of ‘Unknown Occupation’.”
