Seven dead 12 injured as man goes on stabbing spree in Tokyo
Sunday, 08 Jun 2008 09:21
The attack took place in central Tokyo
A man in Tokyo has killed seven people and injured at least 12 others in a stabbing spree in the centre of Japan's capital, according to local media.
The attack took place in the city's Akihabara district, which is popular with shoppers and tourists looking for electronic goods and comic books.
The Kyodo news agency reports the attack taking place at 12:30pm local time with the suspect first hitting pedestrians with a truck before knifing people in the area.
The dead include six men, ranging in age from 19 to 74, and a 21-year-old woman, the news agency added.
A 25-year-old man Tomohiro Kato has been arrested and has reportedly confessed to the stabbing.
Police spokesman Jiro Akaogi told reporters: "The suspect said he came to Akihabara to kill people. He said he was tired of life".
The attack takes place seven years after a similar incident at a school in Osaka which left eight children dead and 15 others wounded.
The attacker in that stabbing, Mamoro Takuma, was given the death penalty.