At least 15 people were injured during a knife and chemical attack at a Japanese rubber factory on Friday (December 26), the Associated Press reports.
Eight people were reported to be stabbed and seven others were injured with a chemical believed to be bleach during the incident, which took place at the Yokohama Rubber Company facility in Mishima, according to the Fujisan Nanto Fire Department. The department confirmed to the Associated Press that five of the victims were hospitalized in serious condition, however, no additional details were shared as of Friday.
The attacker, identified only as a 38-year-old man, was arrested for alleged attempted murder, however, no additional details were provided. The man is reportedly believed to have ties to the factory, sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed to the daily newspaper, the Asahi Shimbun, via CBS News.
Both the Asahi Shimbun and Japanese broadcaster NHK reported that the suspect was wearing what appeared to be a gas mask and used a survival knife at the time of the attack. Violent crime is extremely rare in Japan, which has some of the world’s toughest gun laws, as the country was reported to have one of the lowest global murder rates at 0.23 homicides per 100,000 inhabitants in 2023, according to Statista.
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