Overview
- Osaka Prefectural Police announced on Aug. 13 that they arrested two Vietnamese nationals, Lo Nhat Tam, 33, and Le Thi Kan Lin, 21, on suspicion of attempted robbery-murder; authorities say both have no fixed address and have not disclosed their pleas.
- The arrests relate to a June 10 attack in the Abechika underground mall near JR Tennoji in which a 31-year-old Vietnamese woman was stabbed in the chest and neck after leaving a restroom and had a bag containing about ¥220,000 taken; she required about two weeks in hospital.
- Police say they identified the two suspects from security camera footage and other evidence that placed them near the scene at the time of the incident.
- Investigators believe the attack was carried out by a two-person assault team but say multiple other people may have been involved and they are continuing to search for additional suspects.
- Authorities are examining possible ties to so-called tokuryu, a term for anonymous or fluid criminal groups, and the case has raised fresh safety concerns for commuters in busy underground shopping areas.