Knife-Carrying Man Arrested After Bringing 17 Cm Blade Into Tokyo House Of Councillors

A man was arrested Monday after carrying a knife about 17 cm long into the Members' Office Building of Japan’s House of Councillors in Tokyo, according to Japanese police as reported by multiple outlets.

“Man arrested for bringing knife into House of Councillors office building in Tokyo - Global Times WORLD / ASIA-PACIFIC Man arrested for bringing knife into House of Councillors office building in Tokyo By Xinhua Published: Apr 20, 2026 01:33 PM A man was found carrying a knife about 17 cm long while passing through security at the Members' Office Building of the House of Councillors in Tokyo on Monday morning, according to Japanese police”

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The incident occurred on Monday morning, with one report placing the alert at around 9:45 a.m. when a staff member told a patrolling riot police officer that a man in the building was carrying a knife.

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The Metropolitan Police Department detained the individual, who says he is in his 50s, on suspicion of violating Japan’s firearms and swords control law.

No injuries were reported in the accounts from News.Az and Jiji Press.

The knife was discovered when the man attempted to pass through a metal detector at the building’s entrance, and he did not resist arrest or display any violent behavior.

Police said the suspect told investigators he had been instructed to bring the knife by lawmaker Satsuki Katayama, a member of the Upper House from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

The accounts describe a security screening process at the House of Councillors office building in Tokyo that led to the arrest.

News.Az, citing Japanese media, said the Metropolitan Police Department detained the individual after a staff member alerted a patrolling riot police officer at around 9:45 a.m. that a man in the building was carrying a knife.

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Jiji Press similarly reported that the Metropolitan Police Department arrested the man after a staff member reported to a patrolling riot police officer around 9:45 a.m. that there was a man carrying a knife.

Both reports say the knife was found when the man attempted to pass through a metal detector at the building’s entrance.

The suspect, described as claiming to be in his 50s, did not resist arrest or act violently, and police said he did not display violent behavior.

Global Times, citing Xinhua, added that the man was arrested on the spot on suspicion of violating Japan’s firearms and swords control law, and that police were conducting a detailed investigation into the incident.

In the same set of reports, the location is identified as the Members' Office Building of the House of Councillors in Tokyo, known as the upper chamber of Japan’s parliament, the Diet.

A central element in the reporting is what the suspect told investigators about why he brought the knife.

“Knife-Carrying Man Held at Japan Upper House Office Building Newsfrom Japan SocietyTokyo, April 20 (Jiji Press)--A knife-carrying man was arrested Monday at the office building for the members of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, Japan's parliament, in Tokyo”

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According to police as relayed by News.Az, the suspect told investigators that he had been instructed to bring the knife by lawmaker Satsuki Katayama.

Jiji Press likewise said the suspect told investigators he had been instructed to bring the knife by lawmaker Katayama, and it identified her as Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama, an Upper House member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

In the News.Az account, the arrest came after the knife was discovered when the man attempted to pass through a metal detector at the building’s entrance, and the suspect did not resist arrest or display any violent behavior.

News.Az also reported that the suspect told investigators he had been instructed to bring the knife by Katayama and that the arrest came after a staff member alerted a patrolling riot police officer at around 9:45 a.m.

Jiji Press added that speaking to reporters, Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said she had been aware that the man would visit Tokyo in hopes of meeting with her.

Across the accounts, the name Satsuki Katayama appears as the lawmaker connected to the suspect’s explanation for carrying the knife.

While the reports agree that the incident did not result in injuries, they emphasize that police were still investigating.

News.Az stated that no injuries were reported, and it described the suspect as someone who did not resist arrest or display any violent behavior.

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Jiji Press also said nobody was injured and that the suspect did not resist or act violently.

Global Times, citing Xinhua, said the man was arrested on the spot on suspicion of violating Japan’s firearms and swords control law and that police are conducting a detailed investigation into the incident.

The reporting also ties the arrest to the building’s security measures, noting that the knife was discovered when the man attempted to pass through a metal detector at the building’s entrance.

The suspect’s account, as described by police, included that he had been instructed to bring the knife by lawmaker Satsuki Katayama.

Together, the accounts portray a case where the immediate threat was contained by screening and police response, but where the motive and instruction described by the suspect are still under scrutiny.

Although the outlets differ in emphasis, they converge on several core details about the arrest at the House of Councillors office building in Tokyo.

“A man carrying a knife was arrested on Monday at the office building used by members of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of Japan’s parliament, known as the Diet, in Tokyo,News”

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Global Times, citing Xinhua, reported that the man was found carrying a knife about 17 cm long while passing through security at the Members' Office Building of the House of Councillors in Tokyo on Monday morning.

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News.Az and Jiji Press both described the alert timing at around 9:45 a.m., with a staff member informing a patrolling riot police officer that a man in the building was carrying a knife.

Both News.Az and Jiji Press said the knife was discovered when the man attempted to pass through a metal detector at the building’s entrance, and both said he did not resist arrest or act violently.

The outlets also align on the legal basis for the arrest, with News.Az and Jiji Press stating suspicion of violating Japan’s firearms and swords control law.

Where the reporting diverges is in how much detail each outlet provides about the suspect’s explanation and the named lawmaker: News.Az and Jiji Press both say the suspect told investigators he had been instructed to bring the knife by lawmaker Satsuki Katayama, while Global Times focuses on the arrest and investigation.

Jiji Press adds that Satsuki Katayama told reporters she had been aware the man would visit Tokyo in hopes of meeting her.