At least 15 people were injured in a stabbing attack in a factory in central Japan on Friday during which an unspecified liquid was sprayed, emergency services official said. Officials said a call was received at about 4.30 pm (0730 GMT) from a nearby rubber factory saying "five or six people were stabbed by someone" and that a "spray-like liquid" had also been used. Shizuoka prefectural police said the attacker, a 38-year-old man, was arrested for alleged attempted murder at the factory, but did not give further details. Seven others were also injured by the bleach thrown at them during the attack, the fire department said.
People were stabbed by a man with a knife in a rubber factory
As per the updates from the Kyodo News Agency, people were stabbed by a man with a knife in a rubber factory in Mishima, west of Tokyo. Reports further suggest the attacker was detained at the factory and is already in custody.
Eight people have been hospitalised, Kyodo reported, quoting local fire department officials. No other details, including the conditions of the injured, were immediately known.
The seriousness of the injuries was unknown, although public broadcaster NHK said all victims remained conscious. Officials said at least six of the 14 victims had been sent to hospital in a fleet of ambulances.
The factory in Mishima, where the stabbing incident took place, is being run by Yokohama Rubber Co., whose business includes manufacturing tyres for trucks and buses, according to its corporate website.
Violent crimes are relatively rare in Japan
It should be noted that the violent crime is relatively rare in Japan, which has a low murder rate and some of the world's toughest gun laws. However, occasional stabbing attacks and even shootings are there, including the assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abe in 2022.
In October, a Japanese man was sentenced to death for a shooting and stabbing rampage that killed four people, including two police officers, in 2023.
In another incident, a 43-year-old man was charged with attempted murder in May over a knife attack at Tokyo's Toda-mae metro station.
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