With an "intent to murder," 21-year-old Kazuhiro Kusakabe drove a small vehicle into Takeshita Street in Tokyo’s fashion district of Harajuku at 10 minutes past midnight, a police front man told AFP.
According to national broadcaster NHK, Kusakabe told police he was acting in "retribution for the death penalty
" without giving more precise details.NHK footage showed a small box vehicle with a smashed front and paramedics carrying people on stretchers into ambulances.
One witness told NHK it was a "ghastly scene."
"I saw some guys collapsed on the street. As I walked closer toward the scene, many more people had fallen on the ground. By the time I reached the exact place, paramedics were already there helping people," he said.
Another witness who runs a clothing shop in the area said: "I am shocked that something like this happened on Takeshita Street."
Police immediately cordoned off the street, which was packed with people celebrating the New Year.