IN BRIEF
- More than 25 people were taken to the hospital after the alleged spraying incident.
- Police are still investigating the cause, a fire department officer at the scene said.
In Tokyo’s posh Ginza district, a mysterious incident has left more than 20 individuals with sore throats near a high-end department store. This unsettling event occurred after someone reportedly dispersed an unidentified substance in the area, raising concerns among visitors and residents alike.
The Tokyo Fire Department reported that 26 people suddenly experienced throat discomfort and general malaise in the vicinity of the Ginza Six shopping complex. Among those affected, all but one were transported to a hospital for medical attention.
According to Yusuke Koide, a spokesperson for the Tokyo police, the incident involved a man who sprayed a substance at an ATM located on the building’s ground floor. This act prompted a swift response from emergency services.
In the aftermath, the street in front of the mall—a hub for tourists and luxury shoppers—was cordoned off, with fire trucks lining the road as a precautionary measure. Despite the disruption, patrons continued to access the building through alternative side entrances, demonstrating the resilience of the bustling shopping area.
However, shoppers continued to come and go from the building using side entrances.
Dozens of fire engines and ambulances were parked outside the complex, and the surrounding roads were temporarily closed.
Television footage showed firefighters and officials in hazmat suits assisting people, with some being brought out of the building.
Public broadcaster NHK said the injuries appeared to be light.
It said the spray was believed to have contained the irritant capsaicin, the active component of chilli peppers, according to unidentified investigative sources.
One 70-year-old woman who was at the mall told the broadcaster that her throat started “stinging and hurting” as she approached the ATM.
“By the time I arrived, the commotion had already started, and I thought there might have been a small fire or something.
“Once I went into the ATM corner, my throat felt scratchy, almost numb,” she said.
Police are investigating the cause, a fire department officer at the scene said.
Violent crime is relatively rare in Japan, which has a low murder rate and some of the world’s toughest gun laws.
However, there are occasional stabbing attacks and even shootings, including the assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abe in 2022.
Fourteen people were injured in a stabbing attack in a factory in central Japan in December last year, during which an unspecified liquid was also sprayed.
Japan remains shaken by the memory of a major subway attack in 1995 when members of the Aum Shinrikyo cult released sarin gas on trains, killing 14 people and making more than 5,800 ill.
Five members of the Aum cult dropped bags of Nazi-developed sarin nerve agent inside morning commuter trains on 20 March 1995, piercing the pouches with sharpened umbrella tips before fleeing.
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