OSAKA - A man who was reportedly covered in blood and wielding a kitchen knife died after being shot by police in Osaka Prefecture on Tuesday, local authorities said, in a rare fatal shooting by officers in Japan.
An emergency call was made at around 7 p.m. reporting that a man was acting violently in Kawachinagano. Police opened fire after the man, holding a knife, approached officers responding to the call.
Under Japanese law, police officers may use weapons when they deem it necessary to arrest a suspect, prevent an escape, protect themselves or others, or suppress resistance to official duties.
The police said the man was arrested at the scene on suspicion of obstructing official duties and violating the swords and firearms control law, adding the man was hit by a bullet and taken to a hospital where he was confirmed dead. No one else was injured.
A police officer in his 30s warned the man to drop the knife, but he did not comply. The officer first fired a warning shot into the air and then fired a second shot as the man continued to approach, hitting him in the left chest.
The prefectural police said the use of the firearm apparently met the necessary requirements, expressing regret over the man's death. The circumstances that led to the shooting, as well as the man's identity, remain under investigation.
The shooting occurred around 300 meters from a train station in an area lined with restaurants and commercial facilities.
In Kumamoto Prefecture in southwestern Japan last month, a man armed with a kitchen knife entered a convenience store and was shot by police in the parking lot after pointing it at the officers. He was hit by a bullet, but his injuries were not life-threatening.
