TOKYO: Two people were injured Wednesday evening after a man armed with a kitchen knife attacked passengers at a Tokyo subway station during rush hour, according to Japanese media reports. Their injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.
The incident occurred on the platform of the Namboku subway line, where the suspect was reportedly seen brandishing the knife before slashing the victims. Police arrested the man at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder and have launched an investigation.
Authorities have not released further details as the case is still developing. Tokyo Metro temporarily suspended trains on the line to inspect the subway cars following the attack.
While Japan has one of the world’s lowest crime rates and strict gun control laws, occasional incidents of knife violence do occur. The country was shaken by the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022, one of the rare instances of gun violence in recent history.
