At least 19 people were taken to hospital on Monday after a man sprayed an irritant substance near an ATM on the ground floor of Ginza Six, a high-end shopping complex in central Tokyo, triggering a major emergency response and temporarily blocking surrounding streets. All those hospitalised were conscious, and injuries were described as light, according to fire department officials.

The substance is believed to have contained capsaicin — the active compound found in chilli peppers and commonly used in pepper sprays — according to investigative sources cited by Japan's public broadcaster NHK. Around 20 people reported symptoms including throat irritation and a scratching, numbing sensation. One 70-year-old woman who had been approaching the ATM area described her throat beginning to "sting and hurt," adding that she initially thought a small fire had broken out. Police are still searching for the suspect.

The scale of the response reflected the seriousness with which Japanese authorities treat such incidents. Fire engines, police vehicles and ambulances converged on the Ginza district — a touristy, upmarket neighbourhood in central Tokyo known for its designer boutiques and flagship stores. Officials in hazmat suits were seen escorting people from the building into specialised examination trucks, while cordons and tarpaulins were erected around part of the mall. Despite the disruption to the main entrance, shoppers continued to access the building through side entrances.

Violent crime is relatively rare in Japan, which maintains one of the world's lowest murder rates and some of its strictest gun control laws. However, the country has experienced occasional mass-casualty incidents, including a stabbing attack at a factory in central Japan in December 2025 that injured 14 people and also involved the spraying of an unidentified liquid. Japan also remains deeply marked by the 1995 sarin gas attack on the Tokyo subway, carried out by members of the Aum Shinrikyo cult, which killed 14 people and affected thousands more. That historical context helps explain why any report of an unknown airborne substance triggers an immediate and heavily equipped emergency response.

Authorities have not yet confirmed a motive, and the investigation is ongoing.