TOKYO — Authorities in Japan have taken a 22-year-old South Korean sociology student into custody following an assault involving a hammer at Hosei University, located in the western suburbs of Tokyo. Reports indicate that the incident, which occurred during a class session on Friday, resulted in injuries to several students.
The student allegedly attacked a male peer, causing him minor injuries, and then proceeded to strike seven additional classmates, also inflicting minor wounds. While the police have not confirmed if these actions were premeditated, local media suggest that the individual used a hammer that she discovered on the university grounds.
According to the Kyodo News agency, the suspect expressed feelings of “frustration” during questioning. She reportedly claimed that she had been ignored and bullied by her fellow students, which might have contributed to her violent outburst. Eyewitnesses reported that approximately 150 students were in attendance that day, and one student recounted how the assailant swung the hammer indiscriminately, hitting those seated in the rear of the classroom. Many students fled the scene in panic, and another witness described the assailant’s demeanor as expressionless, implying that her attack wasn’t directed at a specific individual.
The local police continue to investigate the incident and have yet to release further information. It’s worth noting that, despite Japan’s reputation for low crime rates, instances of random violence, including stabbings and shootings, have become more notable in recent years.
The historical tension between Japan and Korea, rooted in Japan’s harsh colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula, which lasted until the end of World War II in 1945, has resulted in ongoing issues of discrimination against Koreans in Japan. Previous violent incidents include a junior high school student’s murder during a random attack at a fast-food restaurant in Kitakyushu last December, as well as a stabbings incident in 2022 near the University of Tokyo, where two students were attacked on their way to entrance exams, leading to the arrest of a 17-year-old suspect on charges of attempted murder.
As investigations continue into the hammer attack, the broader implications of social pressures and historical context in Japan remain significant in understanding such acts of violence.
