The city of Nagano in northern Japan is on high alert following a fatal stabbing near its main railway station last Wednesday, which left one person dead and three others injured. Despite the arrest of a suspect on Sunday, authorities are concerned about potential copycat attacks due to a series of threats.
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While acts of violence in Japan are still relatively rare, there has been a concerning increase in recent years, with one academic indicating it could point to deeper issues like isolation and mental health struggles. However, increased vigilance by schools and authorities reflects a growing awareness of these dangers.
The Asahi newspaper reported that police and local education authorities received some email and phone threats, which they do not believe were sent by the alleged assailant, 46-year-old Yusuke Yaguchi.
They do not rule out the possibility that the messages are simply malicious threats designed to cause alarm, but they also cannot rule out a copycat attack.
“I am the one who stabbed three people at the station, and I will stab women and children in Nagano Prefecture by January 30. Transfer 18.13 million yen (US$116,462) to my account,” read one email sent to the prefectural government.
The message – with an oddly specific figure – was passed on to local police. Authorities have not indicated whether the message included the sender’s account details.