MIYAGI (TR) – Miyagi Prefectural Police have arrested a 23-year-old man from Tokyo after he allegedly vandalized a rental car parked by a fellow train photographer in Shiroishi City, reports the Sankei Shimbun (June 20).
Sota Umemoto, a corporate employee residing in Tokyo’s Koto Ward, was taken into custody on June 19. A self-described tori-tetsu (an obsessive train photography enthusiast), Umemoto has admitted to allegations of causing property damage, telling investigators, “I kicked it a few times.”
The incident took place on the morning of June 29, 2025, along a rural farm road in Shiroishi. Umemoto, allegedly acting with others, is accused of shattering the windshield and kicking the body of a vehicle rented by a rival rail fan. The damaged vehicle belongs to a rental agency based in Tokyo’s Shinagawa Ward.
According to the Shiroishi Police Station, the area is a renowned scenic photography spot and was swarming with rail fans at the time of the incident. The victim returned to the spot to find his rented vehicle severely damaged. Investigators believe other tori-tetsu parties were involved in the vandalism and are pursuing further suspects.
The enthusiasts had flocked to the area to capture the final run of the Cassiopeia sleeper train. According to JR East, the luxury train famously connected Ueno and Sapporo, ending its regular service in 2016 before being utilized for special chartered tours.
