Tokyo police have arrested a 21-year-old man for driving into pedestrians on a crowded street

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The attack happened shortly after midnight when a rental car smashed into pedestrians on Takeshita Street in Tokyo. According to local media, the car hit nine people on the street, which was closed to traffic at the time as scores of people packed the area to celebrate New Year. The number was later revised to eight injured and a police spokesman confirmed a suspect had been detained.

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The attacker has been named as 21-year-old Kazuhiro Kusakabe.

He fled the scene but police later arrested him.

Investigators said Kusakabe initially told them he had carried out a terrorist act.

But he later claimed his actions were in “retribution for the death penalty” without giving more details, according to Japanese broadcaster NHK.

The people injured in the devastating attack ranged in age from teenagers to those in their 50s.

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