2014 AKB48 handsaw assault

The saw attack on members of the Japanese girl idol group AKB48 occurred at the group's May 25, 2014 fan "handshake" event at the Iwate Industry Culture and Convention Center in Takizawa, Iwate Prefecture. Two members of AKB48 — 18-year-old Anna Iriyama and 19-year-old Rina Kawaei — and a staff member who tried to stop the attacker were seriously injured and taken to hospital. The assailant was arrested, tried and sentenced to six years in jail.

2014 AKB48 handsaw assault
Iwate Industry Culture and Convention Center
LocationIwate Industry Culture and Convention Center, Takizawa, Iwate, Japan
Coordinates39.8086322°N 141.1320187°E / 39.8086322; 141.1320187
DateMay 25, 2014
4:54 p.m. (UTC+09:00)
TargetAKB48 members
Attack type
Attempted murder, assault
WeaponHandsaw
Deaths0
Injured3
VictimsAnna Iriyama, Rina Kawaei, 1 staff member
AssailantSatoru Umeta
MotiveEnvy

Both AKB48 members underwent surgery and were out of the group's activities for a lengthy period of time. Kawaei was never able to fully mentally recover and in next year's March announced her departure ("graduation") from the group giving her psychological inability to attend fan "handshake" events anymore as the reason. Iriyama, who after the incident wore first a hand brace/cast on her right hand and later a glove, was finally spotted without it in August 2015 at Kawaei's "graduation" concert.

Attack

At a May 25, 2014 handshake event at the Iwate Industry Culture and Convention Center in Takizawa, Iwate, group members Rina Kawaei and Anna Iriyama were attacked by a 24-year-old man with a handsaw. A male staff member who tried to stop the attacker was also injured.[1][2][3] Iriyama and Kawaei suffered bone fractures and lacerations to their hands: Iriyama's right little finger and Kawaei's right thumb were fractured and cut, Iriyama also suffered cuts to her head.[1][2][3][4] The staff member sustained cuts to his left hand.[3] The three were treated at a hospital for fractures and cuts.[1]

Attacker

The assailant was arrested for attempted murder. He was revealed to be an unemployed man who had no previous interest or fan connection to AKB48. He was frustrated that such idols were well-paid. In December 2014, he pleaded guilty to charges of bodily injury and infringement of weapon regulations.[5] He was sentenced to six years in jail.[6]

Aftermath

AKB48 canceled its theater performances through the end of May,[7] and handshake and photo-shoot fan events in May and June were postponed.[8]

In response to security concerns,[9] the Manseibashi Police Station of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department asked AKS to conduct security checks of audience members at the theater entrance.[7]

Although AKB48's sister groups SKE48, NMB48 and HKT48 did not suspend their theater performances, they introduced security measures: metal detectors, not using the theaters' front rows, suspending post-performance "high-five" events and increasing the number of security guards.[10]

On May 30, AKB48 resumed its television appearances[11] and on June 2 the group resumed theater performances with security measures similar to those of its sister groups.[12] Security and bag checks were added at the general-election-results event and Yuko Oshima's "graduation" concert.[13][14]

On April 8, 2016, AKB48 Group General Manager Minami Takahashi gave her final interview as a member on Kin Sma Special on TBS Television and revealed various insider details about the incident, which she could only disclose then since she would leave the group that very day.[15]

References
  1. "川栄、入山襲われた！ＡＫＢ握手会に刃物男". nikkansports.com. May 24, 2014. Retrieved May 24, 2014.
    AKB握手会主催のキングレコード「卑劣な犯人の行為に怒り」　100人の警備体制も説明 (in Japanese). Asahi Simbum. Archived from the original on May 25, 2014. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
    "Two AKB48 singers, 1 staff member attacked at handshake event in Iwate". Japan Today. May 24, 2014. Archived from the original on May 25, 2014. Retrieved May 24, 2014.
    "Japanese girl band AKB48 attacked with a saw at fan event". The Guardian. Tokyo. AFP. May 25, 2014. Retrieved May 25, 2014.
    "Slasher Attacks Japan Pop Girl Group AKB48 at Fan Event". Jakarta Globe. Reuters. May 26, 2014. Retrieved May 26, 2014.
  2. "Japanese horror Two pop idols attacked by saw-wielding man". RT News. 2014-05-25.
  3. "AKB48 members attacked by saw-wielding man". The Japan Times. 2014-05-25.
  4. "AKB48入山杏奈が襲われ負傷 グループ随一の才色兼備、ドラマに映画初主演…これまでの活動とは" (in Japanese). Model Press. 2014-05-26.
  5. 「ＡＫＢに特別な思い入れない」と供述. NHK (in Japanese). May 26, 2014. Archived from the original on May 26, 2014.
    ＡＫＢ襲撃:容疑者の母「大変なことをした」　携帯通じず. Manichi (in Japanese). May 26, 2015. Archived from the original on May 25, 2014.
    "Man who attacked AKB48 members with saw pleads guilty". The Japan Times. November 5, 2014.
  6. Junko Ogura and Tim Hume. "Japanese man sentenced for saw attack on pop stars". CNN. Retrieved 2019-01-28.
  7. "名古屋・幕張の握手会を延期　AKB48劇場は31日まで休館" [Postpone shake-hand events in Nagoya/Makuhari – AKB48 Theater will be closed until 31st]. nikkei.com (in Japanese). Nikkei Inc. May 26, 2014. Retrieved May 26, 2014.
  8. ６月１４日（土）全国握手会イベント（横浜スタジアム） ６月１５日（日）・６月２９日（日）パシフィコ横浜 大写真会 開催延期のお詫びとお知らせ [Apology and announcement of postponement of handshake event on Saturday, June 14, and photo shooting events on Sunday at Yokohama Stadium, June 15, and Sunday, June 29 at Pacifico Yokohama] (in Japanese). KING RECORDS. Archived from the original on June 6, 2014. Retrieved November 5, 2015.
  9. "Japan Pop Group AKB48 Cancels Events After Attack". ABC News. May 26, 2014. Retrieved May 26, 2014.
  10. 各劇場で金属探知機を導入、客席の最前列は使用禁止に [Metal detectors introduced at each theater, no front-row seats available]. Sponichi Annex (in Japanese). SPORTS NIPPON NEWSPAPERS. May 27, 2014. Retrieved May 27, 2014.
  11. たかみな、ぱるる、Ｍステで目潤ませ熱唱 [Takamina, Paruru, glistening with emotion when they sang at M-Station]. nikkansports.com (in Japanese). NIKKAN SPORTS NEWSPAPERS. May 30, 2014. Retrieved May 31, 2014.
  12. ＡＫＢ劇場６月２日から再開の公式発表 [Official announcement to reopen AKB48 Theater from June 2]. Daily Sports Online (in Japanese). Daily Sports. May 31, 2014. Retrieved May 31, 2014.
  13. 味スタ大雨厳戒...手荷物検査員106人、金属探知機122台. SANSPO.COM (in Japanese). SANKEI DIGITAL INC. June 8, 2014. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
  14. "AKB総選挙　大雨...45分遅れで開演". DAILY SPORTS ONLINE. デイリースポーツ. June 7, 2014. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
  15. "Kin Sma Minami Takahashi Graduation Special". Kin Sma Special (in Japanese). 2016-04-08. TBS Television.
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