Teenager killed and two injured in late-night stabbing

Police arrest 21-year-old man on suspicion of murder

A teenager died and two were injured after a late-night stabbing in Japan’s western city of Osaka, with police arresting a 21-year-old man on suspicion of murder.

The attack occurred shortly before midnight on Saturday in Dotonbori, a busy entertainment and shopping district in central Osaka known for neon-lit streets, restaurants, and heavy footfall from tourists and young people.

Police said they received emergency calls just after 11.50pm reporting that multiple people had been stabbed on the ground floor of a building.

The three victims were all 17-year-old boys. One of them, Kamada Ryunosuke, who lived in the neighbouring prefecture of Nara, later died in hospital from stab wounds to the chest and other parts of his body, public broadcaster NHK reported.

The other two, both from Osaka prefecture, were stabbed in the upper body and taken to hospital. One of them is said to be unconscious, according to NHK. Their identities have not been released.

Police arrested the suspect on Sunday morning after he had fled the scene, NHK said. He has been detained on suspicion of murder. Investigators said the suspect had apparently quarrelled with the three boys before the attack, according to NHK and The Japan Times.

Officers continue to investigate the circumstances of the dispute and the sequence of events leading up to the stabbing.

Japan has one of the lowest rates of violent crime among developed countries, and fatal knife attacks are relatively rare.

Police have not yet disclosed further details about the weapon used or the exact nature of the argument, saying the investigation is ongoing.