TOKYO – Three people were hurt in a knife attack on a train in western Japan on Sunday morning, and the police have arrested a 37-year-old suspect.

The victims – a train conductor in his 20s and two male passengers in their 20s and 70s – were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries, an official from the Fire Department told AFP.

The suspect was armed with three knives when he was arrested at Rinku Town station in the Osaka region, the police said.

He admitted carrying out the attack after being nabbed for attempted murder, the police said. They were still investigating the motive.

Violent crime is rare in Japan, which has a low murder rate and some of the world’s toughest gun laws.

In 2022, former prime minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated by a gunman.

In 2021, a 24-year-old man allegedly stabbed a passenger and started a fire on a train in Tokyo on Halloween while wearing an outfit resembling comic book villain the Joker. A verdict on his case is expected on July 31. AFP