The suddenness of the car-mounted attack in Tokyo took people by surprise. It happened just as the clock struck the beginning of New Year 2019. The venue was near the famous Meiji shrine, a place of worship where people flock to pray on important occasions. The car came speeding down the narrow street and injured nine persons. It seems the suspect attacked one of the injured after leaving the vehicle and avoided arrest for some time.

CNN reports that the Tokyo Metropolitan Police have identified the suspect and detained him as they launched an investigation.

During interrogation, he described it as a terror attack to the police. He also said it was a deliberate act and he "would not make any excuse" for his actions. His motive was apparently to highlight his opposition to the death penalty. Preliminary investigations have revealed the presence of kerosene in the vehicle and on his clothes.

A sad experience for Tokyo

The venue of the car-mounted attack in Tokyo was a popular shopping and tourist district of Harajuku. The streets are narrow and are a meeting place of Japanese youth culture and fashion. It is near the Meiji Shrine, a destination for many people on New Year's Eve. Obviously, it was crowded and the suspect knew that there would be many casualties.

In fact, nine persons suffered injuries and there were teenagers among them apart from elders. Injuries to one of them are serious – he is a male university student.

Incidentally, London faced a similar incident when a car mowed down innocents on London Bridge and left six dead.

Before that, there was a car-mounted attack in Nice that took 84 lives.

The motive is not clear

According to the Telegraph UK, the motive for this attack is not clear. Tokyo is considered one of the best cities in the world and the location of the attack is usually bustling with tourists. They come to share the local cuisine and culture but this incident forced the police to cordon off the area.

During the preliminary investigation, the suspect admitted that he had acted in "retaliation for the execution of Aum cult members."

This is a doomsday cult. They had carried out a sarin gas attack on a Tokyo subway in 1995, and most of the members were executed. The suspect has not provided many details but he says he drove in a rented car from the western region of Osaka. He had plans to burn the vehicle. That could explain the presence of a container of kerosene found in the car. Police have arrested him on suspicion of attempted murder.
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