Knife attack leaves at least 14 injured at factory in Japan

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Around 4:30 p.m. (local time, dawn in Brazil), firefighters received a call reporting that five or six employees had been stabbed inside the Mishima factory. The number of confirmed casualties increased in the hours that followed, reaching 14 injured at 6 p.m., all of whom were sent or were in the process of being sent to area hospitals. At least one person was in serious condition and was unable to communicate during treatment.

— Fourteen people were evacuated by the emergency services, Tomoharu Sugiyama, fire chief of the town of Mishima, told AFP.

According to preliminary information from the investigation, published by the Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun, the attacker used an object described as “similar to a survival knife” and wore something similar to a gas mask. There is some indication that a chlorine-based product, possibly bleach, was spilled at the site, raising suspicions of an additional chemical hazard, although authorities have not detailed the effects or extent of this material.

Shizuoka prefectural police quickly took control of the incident, isolating the area around the factory and establishing a security perimeter. Police vehicles and ambulances were constantly circulating in the area, while firefighters from the southeastern Mount Fuji region coordinated the rescue and transport of victims.

The episode had a strong impact on the neighborhood, described by residents as generally peaceful. Traders and workers reported a feeling of chaos, with constant sirens and intense movement of emergency vehicles. A neighboring store was in the isolated area and had to cease operations. An elderly resident expressed frustration at the lack of official information broadcast over town hall loudspeakers, despite the seriousness of the incident.

— It’s a quiet neighborhood. It’s scary, the shock that something like this happens here is enormous — an employee of a dealership located 150 meters away told the Asahi Shimbun.

Founded in 1917 and headquartered in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, Yokohama Rubber mainly operates in the manufacturing of tires for passenger cars, construction vehicles and agricultural machinery. The Mishima plant produces tires for passenger cars, occupies an area of ​​112 thousand square meters and, as of December 2024, had 987 employees. A company representative said he could not yet comment on the matter.