A knife attack occurred on the evening of March 26, 2026, at the Pokémon Center in Tokyo's Ikebukuro Sunshine City, where a female employee in her 20s was fatally stabbed by a man, who then stabbed himself in the neck and died. The latest police investigation suggests the case may involve a stalking dispute. The victim had previously sought police assistance and obtained a restraining order, yet the tragedy still occurred, raising public concern about the adequacy of police protection mechanisms.
According to the Metropolitan Police Department, the incident took place around 7:15 PM Japan time at the Pokémon Center on the second floor of Sunshine City in Higashi-Ikebukuro, Toshima Ward, Tokyo. Police received multiple reports of "someone with a knife causing a disturbance." Upon arrival, officers found a female employee and a man collapsed in a pool of blood. Both were pronounced dead after being transported to the hospital.
The Sugamo Police Station confirmed through surveillance footage that the man immediately went behind the counter after entering the store, stabbed the female employee, and then stabbed himself in the neck while still behind the counter. Police are currently investigating the incident and motive as a murder-suicide.
Sources close to the investigation revealed that police had previously received a report from a woman, believed to be the victim, regarding stalking issues. The Metropolitan Police Department issued a restraining order against the individual under the Anti-Stalking Act, and had previously arrested a suspect for violating the act, while also regularly monitoring the woman's situation. Despite these measures, the attack still occurred, leading to public questioning of the effectiveness of the protection measures.
Eyewitnesses stated that the shopping center was crowded at the time of the incident, with over a hundred people present, including families with children and foreign tourists. A man in his 30s reported hearing shelves falling and a woman screaming "help," then saw the suspected assailant go behind the counter, creating a tense and chaotic atmosphere.
Following the incident, The Pokémon Company announced the temporary closure of "Pokémon Center Mega Tokyo" and "Pikachu Sweets by Pokémon Cafe", stating that they would fully cooperate with the police investigation and prioritize the physical and mental well-being of their employees. The Metropolitan Police Department is still working to clarify the relationship between the two individuals and the specific details of the stalking.
via： 朝日新聞