Tokyo: Man with knife barricades himself inside Shibuya izakaya

TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police are attempting to coerce a man with a knife who barricaded himself inside a restaurant in Shibuya Ward on Monday afternoon to surrender, reports the Asahi Shimbun (June 25).

At around 3:00 p.m., the Harajuku Police Station was tipped off about a man who declined to pay his bill and was behaving violently. Officers arriving at the izakaya restaurant, located on the second floor of a building near JR Yoyogi Station, encircled the area to coax him into giving himself up.

However, the man proceeded to throw bottles and shoot off fireworks. He also smashed a window, according to police.

In footage provided by TV Asahi (June 25), the man is shown shirtless, sporting a number tattoos, and standing in front of the shattered window with the knife. Broken bottles and at least one chair are currently scattered on the ground in front of the building, police said.

It is not known if the man has taken hostages or whether anyone has been hurt, police said.

The building is in a business district that includes other restaurants, bars and night schools.