A 24-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder Sunday night in Tokyo, following a knife attack on a train headed for Shinjuku Station.
Tokyo Metropolitan Police said at least 17 people were injured, and a man in his 70s is in critical condition after being stabbed in the chest. The suspect also allegedly started a fire on the train, burning some seats. NHK, Japan's public broadcaster, said the suspect was arrested after brandishing a knife, and police said he told investigators "he wanted to kill people and be given a death penalty."
Such violent crime is rare in Japan, where it's illegal for people to carry certain types of knives in public, CNN reports. In August, 10 people were stabbed while on a train in Tokyo, and police said the suspect in that attack turned himself in, telling officers he "just wanted to kill any women who looked happy, anyone."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.