THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
January 9, 2022 at 13:35 JST
A train on the JR Tokaido Line in Obu, Aichi Prefecture (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
OKAZAKI, Aichi Prefecture--A 20-year-old man was arrested after he told passengers on a train he had COVID-19, a ploy he contended was simply to ensure the seat next to him remained empty due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.
After his arrest, the man tested positive for the virus, police said Jan. 8. They are now trying to determine whether he was aware of his infection prior to boarding the train.
He was arrested on suspicion of forcible obstruction of business because his actions obstructed operations on the JR Tokaido Line and prompted passengers to report the matter to the police.
Services were disrupted from around 10 a.m. that day.
Police said the man is a part-time worker whose address remains unknown.
He denied that his actions constituted threatening behavior.
At the time, the train was traveling to JR Okazaki Station from JR Toyohashi Station in the prefecture.
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