Global Courant
TOKYO – Several people were injured in a shooting at a military training ground in Gifu, central Japan, on Wednesday, local media said.
Three people were injured, according to Jiji news agency and national broadcaster NHK, who also said a teenage soldier had been detained.
A Japanese Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) spokesperson in Tokyo could not immediately confirm the incident.
A member of the JSDF has been arrested, public broadcaster NHK reported on Wednesday. News outlet Asahi Shimbun said he is 18 years old.
At least one of the three injured was in critical condition, NHK said, adding that there were no reports of civilian casualties.
Asahi Shimbun said one of the injured was in his 50s, while the other two were in his 20s.
The incident occurred around 9:15 a.m. and the suspect was seen firing an automatic rifle.
The shooting range is located about 7 km east of a railway station in Gifu, near tourist sites such as Gifu Castle.
Violent crime in Japan is extremely rare, but several high-profile incidents have rocked the country over the past year.
In July 2022, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot dead on the campaign trail by a man who allegedly assaulted him over his ties to the Unification Church. And in April, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida escaped unscathed after a man threw an explosive device at him during a campaign event.
Security has been tightened following the incidents, particularly around the summit of the Group of Seven leaders in Hiroshima last month, where thousands of police officers were deployed.
In May, police also arrested a man accused of killing four people, including two police officers, in a knife and gun attack in Nagano, west of Tokyo. AFP, REUTERS
