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Things I Learned Last Night

The Matsukawa Derailment | How the CIA Rigged Japan's Democracy

Things I Learned Last Night

Space Tim Media

Comedy, History, Education

4.7717 Ratings

🗓️ 16 December 2025

⏱️ 65 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In the early morning hours of August 17, 1949, a passenger train derailed near the town of Matsukawa in northern Japan. At first, the crash appeared to be a tragic accident, but investigators quickly discovered clear signs of sabotage. Bolts had been removed from the tracks, and the rails had been deliberately bent, making derailment unavoidable. That single event became known as the Matsakawa incident, and its impact extended far beyond the crash itself. Over the following years, the case exposed deep flaws in Japan’s justice system and raised serious questions about Cold War influence, labor suppression, and the growing reach of the CIA in postwar Asia. Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning, and laughing a whole lot while you do, then you’ll love TILLN. Watch or listen to this episode today! Become a Patron and Get Early Access to Ad-Free Episodes: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://tilln.com/support⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Episode link: https://tilln.com/matsukawa Support TILLN & Join The Mailing List: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/tillnpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Watch MK Ultra: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNJYmNcOZWo&t=2187s Text TILLN to 66866 to become a patron and gain access to ad-free episodes, the exclusive discord, and earn discounts on TILLN Merch. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Think about cheese. Make your thoughts cheesier. Now add 100% chicken breast fillet, Chipoplae sauce, and amadea cheese melt. And it's giving the new cheesy chicken stack at McDonald's. Did we mention it's cheesy? Cheese. Available to the 4th of Jan, 2026 from 11 a.m. Plus and participation may vary. Subjects availability. Hey, man.

0:22.4

Hey, happy to be here, guys.

0:24.3

Have you ever heard of?

0:25.9

You know, I just want to take a moment.

0:26.6

Oh, my gosh. As we get into this episode, just to really ground ourselves and to, you know, that tone that

0:32.8

people get into where they're like, anyway, they just go, hey, I just really want to know, you know that I'm here for you.

0:42.8

Yeah.

0:43.1

And, oh, people are like, oh, you get uncomfortable when people are like supportive to you.

0:48.3

No, I get uncomfortable when they're like performing support.

0:53.1

Support.

0:53.9

Isn't that crazy?

0:54.9

Anyway, hey.

0:56.7

Like I did to you the other day.

0:58.8

Hey, shut up.

0:59.3

I'm doing a bit.

1:00.6

Sorry.

1:01.4

Hey, be quiet.

1:02.1

I'm doing a bit.

1:03.0

Hey, if you're listening to this,

1:06.1

I want you to know that we're just so thankful to you listen to our podcast.

1:10.5

And, you know, we couldn't do this

1:12.5

without you. Every dollar counts. Selle seed. Have you heard of the Matsukawa? Have you heard

...

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