Suspect in Custody After Crashing into Barricade Near Israel Embassy in Tokyo
TOKYO—A 53-year-old man was arrested in Tokyo on Thursday after crashing a car into a barricade near the entrance of the Israeli embassy and injuring a police officer, authorities said.
Police said the suspect was a member of a right-wing organisation, without elaborating, and that a policeman in his 20s sustained non-life threatening injuries.
Israel’s ambassador to Japan Gilad Cohen said in a social media post he was “shocked” by the events and thanked police for ensuring their security.
The incident happened at an area near the embassy which has been the site of a handful of pro-Palestinian demonstrations in recent weeks against Israel’s bombardment of the Gaza Strip.
Police had stepped up security in the area, including erecting the temporary barricades, since the Israel-Hamas war began on Oct. 7, residents said.
A month ago, a staffer at the Israeli embassy in Beijing was assaulted on the street and hospitalized.
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By Francis Tang
