2 Japanese Attacked with Knife at Shanghai Restaurant

Shanghai, May 19 (Jiji Press)–A man carrying a fruit knife attacked three people around noon on Tuesday at a Japanese restaurant in Shanghai World Financial Center, a Japanese-developed office building in the financial district of the Chinese city. According to a senior Japanese Foreign Ministry official, the three victims were two Japanese nationals and a Chinese woman. None of them suffered life-threatening injuries. Many Japanese companies have offices within and around the building. Following the incident, the Japanese Embassy in China sent out an email advising Japanese nationals in the country to exercise vigilance. The Japanese side requested that the Chinese government find out the truth behind the incident, strictly punish those responsible, and ensure the safety of Japanese nationals, according to the email. The 59-year-old attacker was seized by police officers at the scene. According to local police sources, the man has a history of mental illness and made incoherent statements. A nearby shop worker quoted a restaurant employee as saying that the man entered the restaurant, attacked the three people and then sat on the floor. The shop worker said that screams were heard just after the incident as many customers fled. In June 2024, a Japanese mother and child were attacked with a knife while waiting for a school bus in Suzhou. A Chinese woman was killed in the incident. In September that year, a Japanese boy was stabbed to death on his way to school in Shenzhen. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]