YAMANASHI (TR) — A violent fistfight between groups of foreign tourists aboard a Fujikyu Railway train on Friday afternoon forced the delay and cancellation of 16 trains.
According to TBS News (Apr. 3), the incident adds to a growing list of inbound nuisance incidents in the Mount Fuji region.
The altercation broke out just past noon in Tsuru City inside a carriage on a Fujikyu Line train bound for Kawaguchiko, which connects travelers to popular sightseeing spots at the northern foothills of Mount Fuji in Yamanashi.
According to the network, an argument between the groups of tourists quickly escalated into a physical brawl. The cause of the fistfight is not known.
Conductors stopped the train at Higashi-Katsura Station for safety checks and handed the passengers involved over to the prefectural police. Approximately 400 passengers were on board at the time and transferred to subsequent trains. The train later resumed operation and arrived at Kawaguchiko Station about an hour late.
Delayed or cancelled
A total of 16 services on both the inbound and outbound lines were either delayed or fully canceled as authorities responded to the scene, causing significant disruptions to a total of about 2,150 commuters and sightseers alike.
Several foreign passengers involved were handed over to police.
The Fujikyu Railway has increasingly struggled with a surge of unruly behavior from foreign visitors.
The operator has recently dealt with tourists trespassing on railway crossings to photograph the snow-capped mountain, and previously weighed legal action against a group of foreigners who filmed themselves performing disruptive dances and pull-ups inside the train carriages.
Police are investigating the exact cause of Friday’s brawl and looking into potential charges for the obstruction of railway operations.
Fujikyu Railway reportedly returned to normal operation at around 5:00 p.m.
