At around 2 p.m. Wednesday, the vice-principal of Saitama City Sashiogi Junior High School called Japan’s 119 emergency number, reporting that pepper spray had been sprayed on campus and that more than a dozen students felt unwell. According to Omiya Nishi Police Station, 17 first-year students and one female staff member in her 20s were taken to hospital with sore throats. All were conscious.
The Saitama City Board of Education believe the pepper spray may have been discharged accidentally. Police and fire officials said the exact circumstances remain unclear. The device was reportedly kept at the school for use against suspicious individuals. However, there have been no reports of suspicious persons or unauthorized intrusions onto the campus. Authorities are continuing to investigate the incident.
Recent Suspicious Spray Incidents in Japan
The case comes amid a string of recent suspicious spray incidents in Japan. On May 25, more than 20 people were injured at the luxury Ginza Six shopping complex in central Tokyo after a man allegedly sprayed a substance believed to be pepper spray or tear gas inside the building. The suspect, described as wearing a dark top, light-colored pants and a white face mask, remains at large.
Two weeks before the Ginza incident, passengers on a train on the Tokaido Line reported feeling unwell following a suspected spray attack. More than 20 emergency vehicles were dispatched to Kawasaki Station, where the train was stopped. A woman, her husband and their 1-year-old daughter were taken to hospital, while another 10 passengers complained of symptoms. None suffered serious injuries. Police later arrested a 16-year-old boy after reviewing security camera footage.
