A 21-year-old man has been arrested in connection with a fatal stabbing in Osaka’s Dotonbori entertainment district on February 14, according to police. The incident, which left one 17-year-old dead and two others injured, underscores the rising concerns about violent crime in Japan’s major cities.
Police took Osaka resident Ryuga Iwasaki into custody on February 15, on suspicion of murder. Iwasaki allegedly stabbed Kamada Tatsunosuke, a 17-year-old from Nara Prefecture, multiple times in the chest at the entrance of a building around 11:55 p.m. On February 14. Kamada was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to investigators, Iwasaki has admitted to the stabbing but claims he did not intend to kill anyone. “I didn’t mean to kill him. I only meant to threaten him with the knife, but he came at me, and I stabbed him in the chest,” Iwasaki reportedly told police.
Two other 17-year-old boys were also stabbed in the incident. One remains in critical condition and unconscious, while the other sustained serious injuries but is not in life-threatening condition.
Authorities say there were seven or eight people present at the time of the attack and believe a dispute between Iwasaki and the victims preceded the stabbing. Police are currently investigating the nature of their relationship. The arrest followed a review of security camera footage and eyewitness accounts.
The case is drawing attention to safety in popular entertainment areas. The incident occurred near a busy street in Dotonbori, a well-known tourist and nightlife destination in Osaka.
