TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police are searching for a man who fled after allegedly discharging pepper spray near a bank ATM inside the upscale Ginza Six shopping complex on Monday, sending 25 people to the hospital, reports Jiji Press (May 25).
At around noon, an emergency caller reported a “pungent odor” and said people were coughing on the first floor of the commercial facility in Chuo Ward.
According to the Tokyo Fire Department, 26 people complained of throat pain and other symptoms. Twenty-five were transported to hospitals for treatment, though all were reported to be conscious and in stable condition.
Investigative sources believe the male suspect unleashed a tear gas spray containing capsaicin — the active chemical component in chili peppers — before fleeing the scene on foot.
The Tsukiji Police Station is currently investigating the circumstances, including reports that the attack stemmed from an altercation between foreign nationals.
Ambulances and police cruisers swarmed the scene
The incident sparked temporary panic in the heart of the bustling Ginza shopping district, located just 200 meters from the famous 4-chome intersection, as numerous ambulances and police cruisers swarmed the scene.
A woman in her 50s who dialed emergency services said she evacuated outside after feeling a strange tingling in her throat near the ATM corner’s entrance.
“There was no smell, but the air felt weird,” she told reporters. “Everyone walking past the bank was covering their mouths with their hands.”
Another woman in her 50s who lives nearby expressed her shock as the scene unfolded. “I usually use this bank, so I wondered what on earth happened. It’s terrifying,” she said.
