A woman managing an aesthetic salon was stabbed in Tokyo's Takadanobaba district on Monday, suffering injuries to her chest and stomach. The attacker, a customer at her salon, was arrested the next day as Zhu Yu, a 35-year-old Chinese national, on suspicion of attempted murder. The motive remains unclear, though payment disputes may be involved.
The incident occurred around 12:10 p.m. on December 29 in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward, specifically in the Takadanobaba district. The victim, a woman in her 30s and manager of an aesthetic salon, was stabbed four times, including in the chest and stomach, and taken to a hospital. She remained conscious and her injuries are not life-threatening, according to police.
The woman told investigators she knew the attacker, identifying him as a customer at her salon. Sources close to the probe indicated possible troubles over payments for services. After the assault, the man fled the scene by taxi and train before being located at a restaurant in Chiba city that Monday night.
Early Tuesday, December 30, police from the Metropolitan Police Department's International Crime Division arrested Zhu Yu, a 35-year-old Chinese national, on suspicion of attempted murder. Zhu has remained silent during questioning.
The attack took place in a residential area about 200 meters southwest of JR Takadanobaba Station, inside a corridor on the second floor of an apartment complex housing the salon. Emergency calls from witnesses prompted a swift police response, and a nearby cram school urged parents to pick up their children, with staff monitoring entries and exits for safety.
The neighborhood had been considered safe and quiet despite its proximity to the station. A local woman in her 60s expressed fear, saying, "This place was a safe and calm neighborhood, although it is close to a station. I'm scared that such incidents are occurring."
This stabbing follows a fatal attack in March in the same district, where a woman was killed while live-streaming, heightening community concerns. Police continue to investigate the motive.