The knife attack took everyone by surprise. It was morning and the schoolchildren were waiting to board their bus when a man barged in carrying a knife in each hand. He began to attack the children, killed an 11-year-old girl and injured at least 17 others. They studied in Caritas Gakuen primary school in Kawasaki, near Tokyo. Another person, a 39-year-old man also died from stabbing wounds. The incident was a case of mass stabbing and the suspect finally succumbed to self-inflicted injuries.

The Guardian reports the head of the school said he is “heartbroken” by the attack.

Teachers at the school described the 11-year-old victim as “thoughtful and good-natured.” The neighbors mentioned that she used to accompany her mother as they walked their dog. The incident came as a shock to her parents. The second victim was an official of the foreign ministry. He had come to see his daughter off to school. He suffered stab wounds on his neck and back and died in the hospital

The attack came as a shock

Japan is a peace-loving country and violence is practically unheard of.

Hence, this terrible incident of mass stabbing has shocked the community. Tetsuro Saito, the school’s director, mentioned about his anguish. He noted that parents sent innocent children to school but they have become victims of a savage act. He said, “I’m struggling to control my anger.” The second victim was an official of the foreign ministry.

His daughter was safe but he suffered knife injuries while trying to protect the children.

The Guardian adds the official was a part of the ministry’s Myanmar desk. He was a graduate of Tokyo University in Foreign Studies.

The identity of the attacker is established. He was in his 50s, lived in Kawasaki and was a known troublemaker. It seems he stabbed himself in the neck when the driver gave chase and he later died in hospital from the injuries. In view of this tragedy, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe assured that the government would take necessary measures to ensure the safety of children to and from school. Right now, children are accustomed to traveling alone to school using public transport.

The motive for the attack is unknown

According to BBC, the knife attack in the Japanese city of Kawasaki near Tokyo left two persons dead. One of them was an 11-year-old girl, the other was a 39-year-old man. The attack left some more injured, 16 of them were schoolchildren.

Violent crime of this nature is rare in Japan and mystery surrounds the motive for the attack. It happened just before 8:00 AM local time as the students waited to board their bus to the nearby private Catholic school. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe condemned the knife attack. He said, "It is a very harrowing case. I offer my heartfelt condolences to the victims and hope the injured recover quickly." In Japan, children as young as four, walk to school on their own because it is so safe. Incidentally, an American lost his life and five others suffered serious injuries in a knife attack in London.
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