Photo/Illutration The bus stop in Suzhou, eastern China, where a knife attack on a Japanese mother, her child and a Chinese woman occurred on June 24 (Yohei Kobayakawa)

SUZHOU, China--A Japanese mother and her child were injured in a knife attack at a bus stop here on the afternoon of June 24, according to the Japanese Consulate General in the neighboring city of Shanghai.

The injuries are not life-threatening. 

A Chinese woman who was a guide on the school bus was seriously injured in the attack and is in a coma. A male Chinese suspect has been detained.

The Japanese mother and her preschool-aged child were among families waiting at the bus stop to pick up their children from a Japanese school in the city.

The Japanese Consulate General has dispatched officials to Suzhou to gather information and verify the developing details of the incident.

It is also urging local authorities to prevent similar incidents from occurring and to strengthen security measures.

The consulate also said that the school will be closed on June 25.

The motive for the attack is still under investigation.

As of the morning of June 25, Chinese authorities and major mainland media had not reported on the incident.

The neighborhood is located about three kilometers west of the city center and is home to a large Japanese community.

A 31-year-old Japanese man who moved to the area two months ago said, "I thought it was a safe neighborhood, but this attack occurred right away and I'm worried. I want to refrain from going out for a while."

Suzhou, a city of about 13 million people in eastern Jiangsu province, is home to many major Japanese companies.

The Japanese Embassy in China has urged its citizens to stay vigilant in the wake of the knife attack in Suzhou, as well as a recent series of stabbings in Chinese subways and parks.

Related News