Foreign YouTuber says he acted in self-defence after clash with elderly man on Japanese train

A foreign YouTuber says he acted in self-defence after clashing with an elderly man who asked him to stop livestreaming on a train in Fukuoka, Japan. The streamer, identified as Kelton, was filming himself while seated in a space reserved for elderly and pregnant passengers. He told his followers that he was trying to sit away from people, but he did not explain who he meant.

The elderly passenger stood up and confronted Kelton, telling him to stop streaming. The man appears to strike Kelton, who looks startled by the contact. The elder then speaks in Japanese before returning to his seat. Kelton responds with a thumbs up and says it is okay, noting there is “no volume.” The confrontation escalates when the man returns a second time, confronting Kelton again. In the exchange, the elderly man appears to shove Kelton’s head. Kelton raises his arm to block the contact and laughs toward the camera as the passenger retreats. A further cut in the footage shows the elderly man approaching for a third time. As he nears, Kelton says in English: “It’s okay,” but when the man tries to touch him again, Kelton pushes him into the seat opposite. The streamer then tells the man to “stop, you know. But don’t punch.” The elderly man replies in Japanese, though the exact words are unclear in the footage. A third man, unseen in earlier clips, appears to tell Kelton to move seats; Kelton leaves the priority section and complies, telling viewers that he is exiting the train.

Kelton later addressed the incident on Instagram, saying: “Real context of what happened. In Japan, people are really respectful and very good, and they are always very hospitable and calm, but unfortunately I had to live this experience traveling on a train in Fukuoka, and we shouldn’t generalize because Japan is a ‘sugoe’ country!!” He added: “Both the other person and I acted badly, the gentleman for being rude to me and trying to hit me 3 times in a row and I for pushing him, I hope the context is clear and that I acted only in a defensive position and never to hurt anyone!”

Livestreaming in public spaces in Japan is not prohibited, but it is discouraged in part due to an expectation of quietness on public transit. The video has since gone viral on social media, drawing millions of views and a range of responses. Some commenters side with the elderly man, arguing that he was rightly asserting boundaries, while others say the streamer should not have allowed himself to be physically touched and that the initial contact set the confrontation in motion.

Images linked to the incident circulated as part of the online coverage.