Today, a man was arrested following a knife attack and the spraying of an unknown liquid at a rubber factory in Mishima city, Shizuoka prefecture, central Japan. The incident, which occurred around 4:30 PM, left 14 people injured. Tomoharu Sugiyama, an official with the Mishima city fire department, confirmed they received a report of the incident from the nearby rubber plant.

At least six of the 14 victims were transported to hospitals by ambulance, though NHK reported that all victims were conscious. Japanese media indicated that police arrested a man suspected of attempted murder. The individual, believed to be 38 years old, was reportedly carrying a survival knife and wearing a gas mask. He is thought to have a connection to the factory, which is operated by the Yokohama Rubber Group and specializes in producing tires for trucks and buses.

Police cars at the scene of the stabbing at a rubber factory in Mishima city, Shizuoka prefecture, Japan on 26/12/2024. Photo: NHK.

Violent crime is relatively rare in Japan, which boasts a low murder rate and some of the world's strictest gun control laws. However, occasional stabbings and even shootings do occur, notably the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2022.

Last October, a man was sentenced to death for a shooting and stabbing attack in 2023 that killed four people, including two police officers. Five months prior, a 43-year-old man was indicted on attempted murder charges for a knife attack at Toda-mae subway station in Tokyo.

Japanese citizens remain deeply affected by the 1995 subway attack, where members of the Aum Shinrikyo cult punctured bags of liquid sarin gas on five Tokyo subway lines during morning rush hour. That incident resulted in 14 deaths and over 5,800 injuries.

Huyen Le (AFP)