Three people have died in a series of attacks in Japan on Sunday, with police searching for a masked man armed with a rifle and a knife. According to multiple news reports, the attacks occurred in three separate locations on the island of Kyushu, with the first reported at a nursing home in the city of Sagamihara. Two people were found dead at the scene, while another three were injured. The second attack took place outside a home in the city of Kanuma, where another person was found dead. The third attack occurred in the city of Sakura, where another person was injured.
Police have yet to identify a motive for the attacks and are still searching for the masked attacker, who is described as a male in his early twenties wearing a dark outfit and wielding a rifle and a knife. No arrests have been made and an investigation is still ongoing.
The attacks come as Japanese authorities prepare to host the G7 summit in May, where Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is likely to raise the issue of security. The attacks are also likely to raise further concerns about gun control in Japan, where firearms are strictly regulated and private ownership is rare.