At least 15 injured in stabbing incident at Yokohama Rubber factory in Japan’s Shizuoka

TOKYO : At least 15 people were injured on Friday after a stabbing incident at a factory in Shizuoka Prefecture in central Japan, according to Kyodo News, citing local authorities.

Authorities said an emergency call was received at around 4:30 pm reporting that several individuals had been stabbed at a Yokohama Rubber factory in Mishima city. Officials said all those injured were conscious when they were found.

Police later arrested a 38-year-old man, identified as Masaki Oyama, on suspicion of attempted murder. His occupation has not been disclosed. Investigators believe Oyama was connected to the factory and have also received information that he sprayed a liquid resembling bleach while wearing a gas mask, Kyodo News reported.

According to police, Oyama allegedly stabbed a 28-year-old male employee with a bladed weapon at around 4 pm inside the factory. He was subdued by other workers and handed over to law enforcement officials.

The local fire department said eight people suffered stab wounds, while seven others may have been affected by exposure to a chemical liquid.

Yokohama Rubber later confirmed that all 15 injured individuals were company employees, aged between their 20s and 50s. The factory, located about one kilometre from the Mishima city office, manufactures car tyres and employs around 980 people as of 2024, according to information on its website, Kyodo News said.

While Japan is known for its low levels of violent crime, reflected in a low homicide rate and strict firearms regulations, isolated incidents continue to occur.

Past cases include the assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abe in 2022, as well as a shooting and stabbing spree in 2023 that left four people dead, including two police officers, for which a man was sentenced to death in October.

More recently, in May, a 43-year-old man was charged with attempted murder following a knife attack at Tokyo’s Toda-mae metro station. (ANI)