TOKYO (AP) — Japanese police said Monday they arrested a man suspected of cutting three people on a train in western Japan.
The 37-year-old suspect was carrying three knives, two of them in each hand, when he was arrested on the platform of Rinku Town station in Osaka, western Japan, immediately after the alleged attack on Sunday, according to Izumisano city police.
The injured – a train driver in their 20s and two male passengers aged 23 and 79 – were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Their injuries were not life-threatening, police said.
After an emergency call from another passenger, four police officers rushed to the station just after the train arrived and the suspect holding the knives got off.
The suspect ignored the police order to drop the knives. An officer knocked the weapons down with a stick and officers seized it, police said.
The suspect told investigators he had “problems” with passengers. The victims said they were suddenly attacked, police said, adding they are still investigating the motives.
Violent crimes are rare in Japan. The country has strict gun control laws and only a handful of gun crimes each year. But in recent years, there have been high-profile cases involving random subway stabbings and arson, and there are growing concerns about firearms and homemade explosives.
Train operators in major cities have stepped up security measures, including installing security cameras on carriages and conducting more frequent drills among station staff.