Eight primary schoolchildren have been stabbed to death and eighteen others injured in Japan. A man wielding a knife burst into a school in a suburb of the western city of Osaka. Three teachers were also stabbed.
All of the children were aged between six and eight years old. Seven of those injured are said to be in a serious condition. A male teacher is said to be in a critical condition. Police have detained a 37-year-old man. No motive for the attack has been made clear, but police say that they suspect he had taken a large amount of tranquillisers.
Local press reported that the man had been arrested in March 1999 for allegedly lacing tea with tranquillisers and serving it to four teachers at another elementary school where he used to work. The Japanese government has set up an emergency task force.
