Rush hour horror as knifeman attacks passengers at Tokyo subway station

A man with a knife slashed two passengers on a train stopping at a Tokyo subway station during the evening rush on Wednesday, and their injuries were not believed to be life-threatening, Japanese police and media reported.

The 43-year-old suspect was arrested at the scene on suspicion of attempted murder, Tokyo's metropolitan police said. The suspect’s motives and other details were not immediately known.

The suspect slashed a man in his 20s in the head as he got on a subway car. A passenger in his 30s had his finger slashed while he and nearby passengers seized the attacker, Japan 's NHK television reported.

A witness told NHK he saw the suspect brandishing a knife inside the car, but he did not resist when he was seized by other passengers. As the witness returned to the platform, the first victim, bleeding and slumped to the floor, asked for an ambulance, NHK said.

Trains on the line were temporarily suspended for “inspection” of subway cars, operator Tokyo Metro Co. said.

Though Japan is known for its safety, there has been a growing number of random attacks in public places using knives or homemade explosives in recent years.