Man arrested over knife attack at Japan rubber factory

SHIZUOKA, Japan (Dec 27): A man arrested in connection with a stabbing attack at a rubber manufacturer’s factory in central Japan had previously been employed there, Kyodo News Agency reported on Saturday, quoting a source familiar with the matter.

Masaki Oyama, 38, was arrested following an attack on Friday at the Mishima Plant of Yokohama Rubber Co. that left 15 employees injured. Oyama, a resident of Mishima in Shizuoka Prefecture, has been identified by police as currently unemployed.

Police suspect Oyama wielded a survival knife in the incident, indicating that he had a strong intention to kill.

An emergency call was made at around 4.30 pm on Friday, reporting that several people had been stabbed and that liquid had been dispersed.

A total of 15 men, aged in their 20s to 50s, were taken to hospital, all of them conscious. Eight people suffered stab wounds, while the remaining seven may have been injured by the liquid, the fire department said.

According to the source, Oyama had worked at the Mishima factory in the past and lived in a nearby employee dormitory.

According to Yokohama Rubber’s website, the Mishima factory manufactures car tyres and employed approximately 980 people as of 2024. – Bernama-Kyodo