Hammer attack at Tokyo University leaves several students injured, suspect arrested

A violent hammer attack at Hosei University in Tokyo has left multiple students injured, leading to the arrest of a 22-year-old South Korean sociology student. The incident, which took place on Friday at the university’s Tama campus, shocked students and staff alike.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police confirmed that the suspect, who was apprehended on the spot, attacked a male student during class, causing minor injuries. Reports from local media indicate that seven other students were also injured as the suspect allegedly went on a rampage, striking classmates one after another. Authorities have yet to clarify whether the assault was premeditated.

According to Kyodo News, the suspect told investigators that she had been “frustrated” after feeling ignored and bullied by her peers. “I just couldn’t take it anymore,” she reportedly said. “I was ignored and bullied by my classmates for a long time, and I felt like I had no way out.”

A student who witnessed the attack described the scene as chaotic and terrifying. “She was swinging the hammer without any clear target, just hitting anyone who was sitting in the back row. I remember the sound of the hammer hitting… it was terrifying,” the student told Kyodo. Another witness noted that the suspect seemed detached and emotionless, adding, “Her face was blank, like she wasn’t even aware of what she was doing.”

Nearly 150 students were in class at the time of the attack, and many were left in shock as they rushed to escape. “The entire room just erupted in panic. People were screaming and running, trying to get out of the way,” one student said. “I’ve never seen anything like this in my life.”

While the exact motive behind the attack is still under investigation, the suspect’s feelings of isolation and frustration were highlighted during police questioning. “She said she found the hammer on campus and just snapped,” a police source revealed.

This unsettling incident brings to the forefront the issue of bullying in Japan’s academic institutions. Some experts suggest that the suspect’s actions may be linked to the long-standing pressures faced by international students, who sometimes experience social isolation and discrimination.

Historical tensions between Japan and Korea continue to cast a shadow on interactions between the two nations. Although discrimination against Koreans in Japan has diminished over the years, some still face prejudice due to Japan’s colonial past on the Korean Peninsula, which ended in 1945.

Serious crimes like this are rare in Japan, but the attack is part of a disturbing trend of random violence in recent years. In December, a junior high school student was fatally stabbed while waiting in line at a McDonald’s in Kitakyushu, and in 2022, three individuals were attacked near the University of Tokyo. A 17-year-old student was arrested for that stabbing spree and later convicted of attempted murder.

As police continue their investigation into the motive behind the hammer attack, the Hosei University community remains shaken by the violent outburst in what was once considered a safe and academic environment. “We are all still in shock. It’s hard to believe something like this could happen here,” said one of the injured students.