Tear Gas Spray Incidents Frequent in Japan, Multiple People Hospitalized for Discomfort
Several mass injury incidents involving tear gas spray have recently occurred across Japan. An irritant gas was intentionally sprayed at a Sapporo subway station, a similar incident happened at a large shopping mall in Nagoya, and a student accidentally discharged a personal tear gas spray at an elementary school in Hyogo Prefecture. Numerous people have been hospitalized due to these events.
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- 📰 Published: June 12, 2026 at 21:06
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(CNA, Tokyo, 12th, Comprehensive Foreign Report) Multiple mass injury incidents involving tear gas spray have recently occurred across Japan. Following intentional spraying of irritant gas at the Sapporo subway and a large Nagoya shopping mall, a student in a Hyogo Prefecture elementary school also accidentally discharged a tear gas spray they were carrying.
According to Sapporo Television Broadcasting (STV), around 3:30 PM Japan time yesterday, four women in their 20s reported a strange odor to staff at Sapporo Municipal Subway's Odori Station. Station staff and local police reviewed security footage, which showed two young men spraying a mist-like substance in the ground-level elevator hall of the station's Exit 8.
Police stated that although the fire department's analysis of the spray did not detect any harmful substances, a man in his teens who passed through the area later sought medical attention at a hospital after feeling unwell upon returning home.
Police are currently investigating the whereabouts of the two men on suspicion of "forcible obstruction of business."
The Mainichi Shimbun and Sankei Shimbun reported that around 4:50 PM on the 8th, a suspect sprayed tear gas in an arcade on the 4th floor of the "mozo WONDER CITY" shopping mall in Nishi-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. This forced the management to evacuate customers for safety, causing chaos and disrupting normal business operations.
The incident caused a total of 23 customers and staff to experience throat and eye discomfort, with 8 of them being sent to the hospital.
Aichi Prefectural Police searched the suspect's home today, seizing 9 tear gas sprays and arresting Yuto Saito, a 27-year-old company employee from Honmachi, Inuyama City, Aichi Prefecture, on suspicion of forcible obstruction of business. According to police, he has admitted to the crime, stating, "I used tear gas spray."
Kansai TV (KTV) reported that around 2:40 PM yesterday, at an elementary school in Kakogawa City, Hyogo Prefecture, a student accidentally discharged a personal defense tear gas spray when they fell and supported themselves with their hand.
Immediately, 27 students and 2 teachers in the classroom and hallway experienced eye and throat pain. A total of 29 people were taken to the hospital, all with minor symptoms.
Local police investigation revealed that the spray was attached to the outside of a backpack and was a self-defense item given to the student by their parents.
The Kakogawa City Board of Education stated that it has already issued a notice to all students and parents through the school's communication app, urging them to properly store self-defense items inside their bags.
According to Sapporo Television Broadcasting (STV), around 3:30 PM Japan time yesterday, four women in their 20s reported a strange odor to staff at Sapporo Municipal Subway's Odori Station. Station staff and local police reviewed security footage, which showed two young men spraying a mist-like substance in the ground-level elevator hall of the station's Exit 8.
Police stated that although the fire department's analysis of the spray did not detect any harmful substances, a man in his teens who passed through the area later sought medical attention at a hospital after feeling unwell upon returning home.
Police are currently investigating the whereabouts of the two men on suspicion of "forcible obstruction of business."
The Mainichi Shimbun and Sankei Shimbun reported that around 4:50 PM on the 8th, a suspect sprayed tear gas in an arcade on the 4th floor of the "mozo WONDER CITY" shopping mall in Nishi-ku, Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture. This forced the management to evacuate customers for safety, causing chaos and disrupting normal business operations.
The incident caused a total of 23 customers and staff to experience throat and eye discomfort, with 8 of them being sent to the hospital.
Aichi Prefectural Police searched the suspect's home today, seizing 9 tear gas sprays and arresting Yuto Saito, a 27-year-old company employee from Honmachi, Inuyama City, Aichi Prefecture, on suspicion of forcible obstruction of business. According to police, he has admitted to the crime, stating, "I used tear gas spray."
Kansai TV (KTV) reported that around 2:40 PM yesterday, at an elementary school in Kakogawa City, Hyogo Prefecture, a student accidentally discharged a personal defense tear gas spray when they fell and supported themselves with their hand.
Immediately, 27 students and 2 teachers in the classroom and hallway experienced eye and throat pain. A total of 29 people were taken to the hospital, all with minor symptoms.
Local police investigation revealed that the spray was attached to the outside of a backpack and was a self-defense item given to the student by their parents.
The Kakogawa City Board of Education stated that it has already issued a notice to all students and parents through the school's communication app, urging them to properly store self-defense items inside their bags.
FAQ
日本近期在哪三個地方發生了催淚噴霧事件？
根據報導，事件分別發生在北海道札幌市、愛知縣名古屋市以及兵庫縣加古川市。
名古屋催淚噴霧事件的嫌犯是誰？造成了什麼後果？
嫌犯是27歲的公司職員齊藤祐斗，他已被警方逮捕。此事件造成23人出現喉嚨及眼睛不適，其中8人被送往醫院治療。
兵庫縣小學的事件是如何發生的？
一名小學生在校園內不小心跌倒，誤觸了掛在書包外側的防身用催淚噴霧，導致噴霧被釋放。
札幌地鐵站的事件情況如何？
兩名年輕男子在地鐵站的電梯大廳故意噴灑不明噴霧，雖未檢出有害物質，但仍導致一名路過的十多歲男性返家後身體不適而就醫。
這些事件總共影響了多少人？
綜合三起事件，札幌有1人送醫，名古屋有23人不適（8人送醫），兵庫縣有29人送醫，總計至少影響了53人。