2 injured after possible tear gas released on Yamanote Line train in Tokyo

The logo of East Japan Railway Co. (JR East) is seen in this file photo. (Mainichi)

TOKYO — A substance believed to be tear gas was sprayed on a JR Yamanote Line train on the evening of Oct. 20 in the Japanese capital, leaving two passengers with minor injuries and causing the temporary suspension of services on the inner loop.

Staff at Otsuka Station in Tokyo’s Toshima Ward called police to report that someone had sprayed tear gas on a Yamanote Line train at around 7:45 p.m. According to an investigative source, passengers on an inner loop train got into a dispute, which led to the incident. The Metropolitan Police Department arrested a woman believed to have sprayed the gas at the scene on suspicion of assault.

Yamanote Line operator East Japan Railway Co. said an emergency button on a platform had been pressed due to the incident, which temporarily disrupted the inner loop services.

(Japanese original by Yuga Matsumoto and Ayano Tanaka, Tokyo City News Department)