(Adnkronos) – A saleswoman in her early twenties was killed inside the Pokémon Center in Tokyo’s Ikebukuro district, the world’s largest store dedicated to the franchise. The assailant, a man also in his 20s or 30s, then inflicted fatal wounds upon himself with the same weapon. This was reported by the Japanese agency Jiji.
According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police, the alarm was raised around 7:15 PM local time (12:15 PM in Italy), when the presence of a person armed with a knife inside the store, located in the Sunshine City commercial complex, was reported. The man reportedly entered alone and, after passing the counter, repeatedly struck the employee in the neck with a bladed weapon, then turned it against himself. Both were transported to the hospital, where they died within approximately an hour.
At the time of the attack, the store was open and crowded, with over 100 customers present, including families with children and foreign tourists. Authorities have launched investigations to clarify the dynamics and motive; according to investigative sources, there had already been reports concerning the two individuals involved in the past. The Pokémon Company announced the temporary closure of the store and related activities, explaining that the decision was made “to ensure full cooperation with the police and protect the physical and mental well-being of the staff,” apologizing for any inconvenience caused to customers.
