Authorities in Tokyo say a man sprayed an unidentified substance inside a luxury shopping mall in the Ginza district, prompting an emergency response and hospital treatment for about 20 people. Multiple outlets report that police and firefighters cordoned off the area as hazmat teams were brought in. Witnesses and officials describe the incident as causing panic inside the mall, with several people taken on stretchers into ambulances.
Police say the spraying occurred near an ATM on the ground floor of the building. One local fire department official cites reports of a “smell” and says around 20 people were injured, with other reports describing hospitalizations in the same range. The mall is reportedly blocked off following the incident, and responders remain at the scene to secure the area.
The substance sprayed has not been publicly identified in the reports, and investigations by Tokyo police and related agencies are ongoing to determine what was released and what caused the injuries.
