KEY POINTS:
- Multiple passengers injured during a violent incident on a Tokyo train
- Emergency services treat victims and detain suspect
- Attack comes amid rare violent incidents in low-crime Japan
TOKYO: At least 14 people were injured in Japan on Friday in an incident of a suspected stabbing and liquid spray attack on a crowded commuter train, authorities said, prompting a rapid police response and renewed focus on public safety in the normally low-crime Asian nation.
The attack occurred aboard a Keiō Line train approaching Kokuryō Station in the city’s western suburbs, where passengers were travelling during a regular service. According to local broadcaster NHK and other outlets, video footage and eyewitness accounts described chaos as the suspect stabbed multiple passengers and sprayed a liquid inside the carriage before police intervened and took him into custody on suspicion of attempted murder. Some passengers suffered minor injuries from the spray, while others were hurt during the commotion.
Japan’s Metropolitan Police Department reported that the suspected assailant, a man in his 20s, wounded multiple passengers with a knife before spraying a liquid substance inside the train carriage. Local media and law enforcement sources told international outlets that police intervened at the scene and detained the suspect on suspicion of attempted murder, while emergency services treated the injured. The exact nature of the liquid sprayed has not been publicly confirmed, and analysis and investigations are underway.
At least 14 victims were taken to nearby hospitals after the incident, which occurred during peak commuter hours on one of Tokyo’s busy train lines, a senior emergency official said. Several of those hurt sustained non-critical wounds, though some remained under medical care. The authorities worked to establish a motive and ensure there were no further threats to public safety.
Police have cordoned off the immediate area and increased patrols on other rail lines, citing Japan’s broader commitment to transportation security and passenger protection. While violent crime and mass attacks remain relatively rare in Japan — a country with strict weapon and gun control laws — there have been notable exceptions in the past, including high-profile train assaults. In one such case from 2021, a man carried out a stabbing and sprayed a liquid substance on a Tokyo commuter train, injuring 17 people before being arrested, and was later convicted on multiple counts of attempted murder. (en.wikipedia.org)
Incidents of this nature reverberate across Japanese society, where commuters rely on punctual and heavily used rail services. Authorities reiterated their commitment to a thorough investigation and public safety, promising updates as more information becomes available.
