Akihabara stabbing spree sees 7 killed, 17 more wounded

On Sunday (June 8th) afternoon, a 25-year-old man (allegedly) by the name of Tomohiro Kato drove his truck into the heart of Tokyo’s Akihabara and injured several people. Upon exiting his vehicle, Kato attacked dozens of bystanders with a knife, eventually killing 7 people (1 woman, 6 men) and maiming 17 others. He claimed that “he was tired of life […] sick of everything“. It’s assumed that Kato’s rage was sparked when, earlier in the week, he thought he had lost his job because his work clothes had gone missing. He is now likely to face the death penalty.

The incident hit headlines the world over, with every news organisation from the BBC to CNN handling it with the highest of priorities. Of course, it’s a tragedy in and of itself, but it’s especially potent for fans of Japanese pop culture, as this all unfolded within the so-called otaku mecca, Akihabara, a well-known shopping area in Tokyo for electronic, computer, anime and otaku goods that has, in the last 4 to 5 years, attracted millions of tourists.