THE ASAHI SHIMBUN
January 23, 2025 at 18:44 JST
NAGANO--Police are asking the public for information about a man who killed one person and injured two others in a knife attack in front of JR Nagano Station on Jan. 22.
Nagano prefectural police on Jan. 23 released an image of the suspect, who was last seen fleeing toward the south of the station, apparently still carrying a knife, after the attack.
The killer is described as a thin, middle-aged male about 165 to 175 centimeters tall. He was wearing glasses, a jumper-like jacket, long pants and a white hat possibly made of cloth.
At around 8:05 p.m. on Jan. 22, police received an emergency call that people had been stabbed near the bus rotary at the Zenkoji Exit of JR Nagano Station.
Hiroyoshi Maruyama, a 49-year-old company employee in the city, was confirmed dead at a hospital.
Another company employee, 37, who also lives in Nagano, was stabbed in the back and suffered serious injuries.
A 46-year-old corporate worker from the city was stabbed and hit in her back and will require a week to recover, police said.
Police said they believe the attack was random because the victims did not appear to know the suspect.
The assailant was caught on a security camera near the scene.
Police are asking the public to contact the Nagano Chuo Police Station (0120-007-285) if they have any information.
SADNESS AMONG VICTIM’S NEIGHBORS
Acquaintances of Maruyama expressed shock and sadness over his death.
A father of two, Maruyama lived with his wife and second son in the Tanbajima area of Nagano and had coached a soccer club for elementary school pupils for several years, his neighbors said.
When his sons were in elementary school, Maruyama played soccer with them every weekend at a schoolyard near their home.
A neighbor in her 60s described Maruyama as a doting father.
The neighbor said she assumed that Maruyama was waiting at Nagano Station for a bus to take him home when he was stabbed.
She said she hoped the perpetrator would be caught as soon as possible.
Another neighbor said Maruyama had been actively involved in local activities since he moved to the Tanbajima area nearly 20 years ago.
She said he took the lead in lifting heavy objects during cleanup work.
“He did so much for the community. This should never have happened,” she said with tears in her eyes.
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A security camera near JR Nagano Station caught this image of a man believed to have stabbed three people on the evening of Jan. 22. (Provided by Nagano Prefectural Police)
