新聞正文

Central News(Central News Agency reporter Tai Ya-chen, Tokyo, January 13) — A shocking knife attack occurred this morning in Saiki City, Oita Prefecture, Japan, where a 44-year-old man allegedly used a kitchen knife to randomly attack passersby at a store parking lot and nearby roads, resulting in four people injured. Multiple victims, covered in blood, fled into the store for help, causing temporary chaos at the scene. According to the latest investigation, the suspect has confessed to the stabbing and stated he did not target specific individuals — all victims were strangers to him.NHK reported that the incident occurred around 9:30 a.m. near the TSUTAYA Saiki store in Kurushima-machi, Saiki City. Police responded to reports of a knife-wielding attacker and arrived to find four people stabbed in the parking lot and surrounding roads.The injured include a 63-year-old man and an 84-year-old man, both seriously wounded in the chest area, as well as a 16-year-old female high school student and a 61-year-old man with minor injuries. All four were transported to hospitals and are reported to be out of life-threatening condition.Approximately 30 minutes after the incident, a nearby medical facility reported that a man carrying a kitchen knife had entered the premises. Police rushed to the scene and arrested 44-year-old Hiroshi Noshita, a physical therapist residing in Saiki City, on suspicion of violating Japan’s Firearm and Sword Control Law. The suspect was found carrying an approximately 18-centimeter kitchen knife and admitted to illegal possession.According to investigative sources cited by Oita Television, Noshita admitted to the stabbings during police questioning and stated, “Anyone would do,” indicating he did not target specific individuals and carried out a random attack. Police confirmed that none of the four victims knew the suspect, leading to an initial assessment of a random, untargeted assault.Authorities believe the suspect attacked victims at multiple locations, including the TSUTAYA parking lot and surrounding roads, with victims caught completely off guard.Staff at TSUTAYA Saiki Store reported that two men and one woman, covered in blood, ran into the store seeking help. Employees immediately called police and an ambulance and assisted the injured with first aid, including applying pressure to wounds, until emergency personnel arrived.A 35-year-old man who was at the parking lot during the incident witnessed emergency responders treating the injured. He said, “I noticed police suddenly running around, so I knew something serious had happened. Then ambulances arrived and took the victims away. I never expected such an event to occur — it was truly terrifying.”An 80-year-old man who witnessed the arrest at the medical facility said the suspect rushed into the clinic holding an object while shouting, “Help me, help me!

” The facility immediately issued an emergency evacuation order. Soon after, multiple officers entered and successfully subdued the suspect. “He ran right past me,” the witness said, adding that fortunately, no further injuries occurred inside the facility.(Edited by Wei Shu) 1150713