Bio

Keisuke Takeuchi was a Japanese national and train conductor by profession. Limited information is available regarding his early life, background, or personal details prior to the Mitaka incident. He was not affiliated with any political group, including the Japanese Communist Party, unlike several of the other defendants who were acquitted in the case. While incarcerated, Takeuchi consistently maintained his innocence.

Murder Story

On 15 July 1949, an unmanned 63 series train on Japan’s Chūō Line was deliberately set in motion with its operating handle tied down. The train traveled without a conductor and derailed at Mitaka Station in Tokyo, killing six people and injuring 20 others. The incident occurred amid a series of similarly mysterious train-related events, including the Shimoyama and Matsukawa incidents.

On the day of the derailment, all four police officers stationed at Mitaka Station were absent from their posts for reasons that were never explained. An investigation led to the indictment of ten individuals, including Keisuke Takeuchi, the train’s conductor, who was not aboard the train at the time of the incident.

During the trial, conflicting information arose. Evidence that could have provided an alibi for Takeuchi—his presence at a public bath with a co-worker—was suppressed by his own legal counsel. In 1955, a court ruled that there was no evidence of a broader conspiracy and found Takeuchi solely responsible for planning and executing the derailment. He was sentenced to death, while the other defendants were acquitted.

Despite his conviction, Takeuchi remained adamant about his innocence throughout his imprisonment. He died in custody in 1967 from a brain tumour. In later years, it was reported that his confession may have been obtained under duress. His son pursued posthumous legal efforts to clear his name, including a rejected request for retrial by the Tokyo High Court in 2019 and a further appeal to the Supreme Court that was denied on 17 April 2024. A third retrial request was filed on 5 September 2024.