The Daily Populous Tuesday May 26th, 2026 night edition
Authored by abc.net.au and submitted by AudibleNod

More than 20 people have been injured at a luxury shopping complex in central Tokyo after a man sprayed a substance inside, police and fire department officials said.

The road in front of the shopping centre, located in the touristy and upmarket shopping district of Ginza, was blocked off following the incident.

The Tokyo Fire Department said people complained of suddenly developing throat pain and felt unwell near the Ginza Six shopping complex with more than 20 people taken to a hospital.

Their symptoms were believed to be mild, officials said.

Fire department and police officials said an investigation was underway.

Tokyo police examine the scene after a person allegedly sprayed a substance that caused an odour. (AP Photo: Eugene Hoshiko.)

Television footage showed fire trucks lining the street while firefighters and officials in hazmat suits assisted people, with some being brought out of the building.

Tokyo police spokesman Yusuke Koide said a man sprayed a substance at an ATM on the ground floor of the building.

One 70-year-old woman who was at the mall told Japan's public broadcaster NHK that her throat started "stinging and hurting" as she approached the ATM.

"By the time I arrived, the commotion had already started, and I thought there might have been a small fire or something.

"Once I went into the ATM corner, my throat felt scratchy, almost numb," she said.

Yuzo Tsuda, a 78-year-old Tokyo resident, told The Associated Press that he walked toward the shopping complex after having lunch with friends, when he suddenly felt pain in his throat and started coughing.

He said the ache in his throat subsided about an hour later and he did not plan to go to the hospital.

Tokyo Fire Department at the scene of a shopping centre in Ginza. (AP Photo: Eugene Hoshiko)

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

But Japan remains shaken by the memory of a major subway attack in 1995 when members of the Aum Shinrikyo cult released sarin gas on trains, killing 14 people and making more than 5,800 ill.

Five members of the Aum cult dropped bags of Nazi-developed sarin nerve agent inside morning commuter trains on March 20, 1995, piercing the pouches with sharpened umbrella tips before fleeing.

blorgcumber on May 25th, 2026 at 17:33 UTC »

From the description it sounds like it could be pepper spray

cloudofbastard on May 25th, 2026 at 17:20 UTC »

Very weird, I wonder what it was. Odd that something sprayed on an ATM would cause such a reaction. Was it related to that kid spraying an unknown substance on the subway two weeks ago? What happened with that?

igetproteinfartsHELP on May 25th, 2026 at 16:35 UTC »

Yuzo Tsuda, a 78-year-old Tokyo resident, told The Associated Press that he walked toward the shopping complex after having lunch with friends, when he suddenly felt pain in his throat and started coughing.

He said the ache in his throat subsided about an hour later and he did not plan to go to the hospital. ?????

PLEASE GO TO THE HOSPITAL