The Japanese Ministry of Defense reported that authorities arrested an 18-year-old Japanese soldier today, Wednesday, after two people were killed and another injured in a shooting at a military facility in central Japan.
The Ministry of Defense stated that the soldier, a member of the Self-Defense Forces, is accused of firing an automatic weapon at three individuals at a military shooting range in Gifu City at around 9 a.m. local time. It noted that the three were taken to the hospital, and two later died from their injuries.
Yasunori Morishita, the chief of staff of the Ground Self-Defense Force, told reporters that the suspect had joined service in April and that the victims were field trainers, adding that the police would initiate an investigation into the incident. He said, "We will investigate the cause of the incident to ensure it does not happen again."
Japanese broadcasting corporation NHK reported that the victims include a man in his fifties and two in their twenties, with no reports of civilian injuries.
Shooting incidents are extremely rare in Japan, where gun ownership is subject to strict regulations, and anyone seeking to own a weapon must pass a rigorous screening process.