Incident Overview
At least 19 individuals were hospitalized following reports of a strong smell at a shopping complex in Tokyo, according to media sources.
A police spokesperson stated that a man sprayed a substance at an ATM located on the ground floor of the luxury Ginza 6 shopping centre on Monday.
Substance Details and Suspect
The substance is believed to have been an irritant spray, which authorities have identified as likely containing capsaicin, a compound found in chili peppers.
Police are actively searching for the suspect, as reported by the national broadcaster NHK.
Eyewitness Accounts
People near the scene experienced symptoms such as throat pain and itchiness. A 70-year-old woman told AFP about her experience approaching the ATM.
"It started 'stinging and hurting' as I approached the ATM."
"By the time I arrived, the commotion had already started, and I thought there might have been a small fire or something," she said.
"Once I went into the ATM corner, my throat felt scratchy, almost numb."
Emergency Response
A significant emergency response was deployed, including police officers, firefighters, and ambulance personnel.
The road in front of the shopping centre was closed off following the incident.
Officials wearing hazmat suits were observed escorting people out of the mall.
Photographs from the scene show cordons established, with emergency workers hanging sheets of tarp around sections of the shopping centre.
