"Another Attack at a Popular Japanese Restaurant"...Three Injured in Shanghai Stabbing Rampage

Two Japanese Men and One Chinese Woman Injured

Japanese Government Urges China to Prevent Recurrence and Ensure Safety

Amid ongoing tensions between China and Japan, a stabbing rampage occurred at a Japanese restaurant in Shanghai, China, injuring three people, including two Japanese nationals. With a history of attacks against Japanese individuals in China, anxiety is also rising within the local Japanese community.

Japanese restaurant in Shanghai, China, where a stabbing incident occurred. Photo by Kyodo News and Yonhap News Agency

According to Japan's NHK and other outlets on May 20, at around 12:25 p.m. the previous day, a 59-year-old Chinese man wielded a knife at a Japanese restaurant located in an office building in the Pudong New Area of Shanghai, injuring three people. Among the injured, two are Japanese men, and the third is a Chinese woman. According to the Japanese Consulate General in Shanghai, all three were transported to local hospitals for treatment, and none of their injuries are life-threatening.

Local police arrested the suspect at the scene immediately after the attack and are currently investigating the exact circumstances. In a statement related to the incident, police explained that the suspect had a history of receiving treatment for mental illness.

The building where the incident took place is located in a major commercial district in Shanghai, densely populated with financial companies and foreign corporate offices. It is reported that numerous Japanese companies also have offices in the building, and one of the injured Japanese individuals is a senior executive at a Japan-based company with an office there. The restaurant where the attack occurred is known as a popular dining spot frequently visited by Japanese residents of Shanghai.

Following the incident, the Japanese government requested that China establish measures to protect Japanese nationals. At a press conference on the same day, Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara, the Japanese government spokesperson, stated, "We have requested the Chinese government to conduct a thorough investigation, provide a clear explanation, impose strict punishment, implement measures to prevent recurrence, and ensure the safety of Japanese nationals." He also emphasized, "At the government level, we will continue to provide necessary support for protecting Japanese nationals in cooperation with relevant agencies."

The Consulate General of Japan in Shanghai also urged Japanese residents in the area to be vigilant of their surroundings and pay close attention to their safety when going out.

This incident occurred as tensions between China and Japan have entered a prolonged phase. Previously, after Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi mentioned the possibility of intervention in the event of a Taiwan contingency, China responded with strong measures such as advising against Japanese tourism and study in China, and restricting Japanese films and performances in the country. Private exchanges have also effectively ceased, and it is reported that the Japanese Film Week event scheduled for next month's Shanghai International Film Festival has been canceled.

Recently in China, there have been a series of violent incidents targeting Japanese individuals. In September 2024, a 10-year-old Japanese boy attending a Japanese school in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, was killed on his way to school after being attacked with a knife by an assailant. In June of the same year, a Japanese mother and child waiting for the school bus outside a Japanese school in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, were attacked and injured by a Chinese man, and a Chinese school assistant who tried to stop the attack lost their life.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.