A woman in her 20s died on Tuesday after being stabbed on a street in downtown Tokyo, with a man arrested at the scene with two knives in his possession, police said.
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The woman was attacked at around 9.50am while walking alone in the Takadanobaba district in Shinjuku Ward. Investigative sources said there is information that she was live streaming at the time.
The assailant, who was initially arrested on suspicion of attempted murder before the woman was confirmed dead but could be charged with murder, has told investigators he did not intend to kill her, according to the Metropolitan Police Department. The police will investigate whether the suspect, who is in his 40s, can be held criminally responsible.
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Japan reeling from shocking attack as man murders teen in McDonald’s
Japan reeling from shocking attack as man murders teen in McDonald’s
The two are believed to have known each other and both had been consulting police in another part of the country over a financial dispute between them, the sources said.
The woman is believed to have been stabbed multiple times in the neck and chest with a 13cm (5 inches) survival knife. She was taken to hospital and later pronounced dead.
When the police apprehended the man, a knife was at his feet with blood on it and another one was in his backpack.
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A man in his 50s who was in a nearby office at the time said he heard screams, including cries for help, lasting around 15 seconds. He said he then saw a woman lying on the street.