May 26, 2026
TOKYO – Twenty-five people were taken to the hospital due to an unusual smell at a bank ATM corner in a commercial area of Tokyo’s Ginza district around noon on Monday, Tokyo fire authorities said.
According to police sources, a man sprayed a substance on a pillar near the ATM before fleeing. “Capsaicin,” the spicy component in chili peppers, was detected on the pillar and other parts of the scene. Police are searching for the man.
According to the Tokyo Fire Department, a total of 26 men and women in their 20s to 80s complained of sore throats and other symptoms, and 25 of them were taken to the hospital. All were reportedly conscious.
The incident occurred in a commercial area lined with department stores and other businesses, about 200 meters south of Ginza Station on the Tokyo Metro. The area was frequented by shoppers and office workers at the time.