Shocking Knife and Bleach Assault Shocks Japanese Tire Factory
Shocking Knife and Bleach Assault Rocks Japanese Tire Factory
A harrowing attack unfolded at a Yokohama Rubber Co. tire factory in Mishima, Shizuoka Prefecture, central Japan, on Friday, December 26, leaving at least 15 men injured. A 38-year-old man, identified as Masaki Oyama and believed to be a former employee, stabbed eight workers—five in serious condition—and doused seven others with a suspected bleach-like chemical around 4 p.m. Factory workers heroically subdued the assailant, who wielded a survival knife and wore a gas mask, before police arrested him on attempted murder charges.
Unfolding Details and Victim Conditions
All victims, aged 20s to 50s, remained conscious as they were rushed to hospitals by the Fujisan Nanto Fire Department. Emergency calls reported stabbings and a sprayed liquid, prompting a swift response. Investigators note no immediate motive, though the attacker's past ties to the facility raise questions about workplace grudges or personal vendettas.
Implications in Japan's Low-Crime Landscape
Japan's stringent gun laws keep violent crime rare, yet high-profile knife incidents persist, challenging public safety perceptions. This event underscores vulnerabilities in industrial settings and prompts calls for enhanced security measures amid ongoing probes.
About the People Mentioned
Masaki Oyama
Mas Oyama, born Choi Yeong-eui in 1923 in Korea, was the founder of Kyokushin Karate, the first and most influential style of full-contact karate emphasizing physical conditioning, breaking techniques, and practical combat.[1][2][4] At age 15, he moved to Japan in 1938 aspiring to become an aviator, but immersed himself in martial arts, earning a nidan (second-degree black belt) by 18 and training rigorously under influences like Gichin Funakoshi and Nei-chu So.[3][6][8] Post-WWII, Oyama won the karate division of Japan's first National Martial Arts Championships in 1947.[1][3] Seeking deeper mastery, he underwent 18 months of solitary training on Mount Kiyosumi in 1948, enduring extreme regimens like waterfall stands, stone-breaking, and tree-punching.[1][3] Famous for feats like killing 47 bulls with bare hands—four instantly—he demonstrated karate's destructive power.[1] In 1953, he opened his first dojo in Tokyo, initially teaching Goju-ryu before developing Kyokushin ("Ultimate Truth").[3][5] By 1964, he established the International Karate Organization Kyokushin Kaikan (IKO) headquarters, expanding to over 72 branches in 16 countries by 1960 and eventually 120+ nations with 12 million members.[2][3][4] Oyama pioneered full-contact tournaments: the first All-Japan Open in 1969 (won by Terutomo Yamazaki) and World Open in 1975, held quadrennially and open to all styles.[2][4][5] He authored the bestseller "What Is Karate?" (1958, 500,000 copies), taught U.S. military and FBI personnel, judged events like the 1959 Hawaiian Tournament, and received Brazil's Cultural Award in 1985.[1] Oyama died of lung cancer on April 26, 1994, at age 70 in Tokyo; his widow founded a legacy organization.[4] Kyokushin remains a dominant force in martial arts, influencing styles like Kudo.[5]
About the Organizations Mentioned
Yokohama Rubber Co.
**The Yokohama Rubber Company, Limited** (横浜ゴム株式会社), headquartered in Hiratsuka, Japan, is a leading global manufacturer of high-performance tires, rubber products like belts and hoses, rims, and golf equipment under the PRGR brand.[1][5] Founded on October 13, 1917, as a joint venture between Yokohama Electric Cable Manufacturing (now Furukawa Electric) and BFGoodrich, the company started producing rubber belts, tires, and hoses at its Hiranuma factory in 1920, pioneering Japan's first corded tires.[1][2] Devastated by the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake and WWII air raids, it rebuilt resiliently, renaming to Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd. in 1963 and expanding factories in Mie, Mishima, and Shinshiro.[1][2] The 1969 launch of Yokohama Tire Corporation in Los Angeles marked its U.S. entry, fueling global growth.[1][3] Key achievements include rapid post-war recovery, fivefold tire production growth in the 1960s amid Japan's motorization boom, and motorsports dominance with the flagship **ADVAN** brand.[2][5] Mergers like 1989's acquisition of Mohawk Rubber and 1992 partnership enabled U.S. OEM and replacement tire production.[3] Innovations span synthetic rubber, nylon cords, 2014's world-first tire noise visualization simulation, and electric vehicle racing participation.[5] It supplies original equipment tires to top automakers, testing on tracks in Japan, Thailand, Sweden, Spain, and the U.S.[5] Today, Yokohama operates in over 120 countries with ~28,000 employees (as of 2022), celebrating its 2017 centennial as a tire tech powerhouse for passenger cars, trucks, construction, and sports vehicles.[5][7] Its story embodies resilience—from Yoko
Fujisan Nanto Fire Department
The **Fujisan Nanto Fire Department** is a municipal fire service based in the Mishima area of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, near the iconic Mount Fuji, responsible for emergency response including firefighting, medical transport, and disaster management.[1][2][3] Limited public information is available on its full history, but it operates as a local government entity serving the Fujisan (Mount Fuji) and Nanto regions, providing critical public safety amid Japan's low violent crime rate yet rising knife incidents.[3][7] A NAVITIME travel listing highlights its visibility to tourists, with details on location, photos, maps, and nearby attractions, suggesting community integration.[1] The department gained international attention on December 26, 2025, responding to a shocking attack at Yokohama Rubber Co.'s tire factory in Mishima. A 38-year-old former employee, armed with a survival knife and wearing a gas mask, allegedly stabbed eight workers—five in serious condition—and injured seven others by throwing bleach, totaling 15 victims transported to hospitals while conscious.[2][3][4][5][6][7] Fujisan Nanto personnel directly coordinated with media like the Associated Press, confirming victim statuses and underscoring their pivotal role in high-stakes industrial emergencies.[3][7] **Key achievements** include efficient handling of this rare mass casualty event in a nation with strict gun laws, where such attacks spotlight vulnerabilities in workplace security.[3][7] Currently, the department remains operational, supporting Shizuoka's tech-manufacturing hub—home to tire and rubber innovators like Yokohama—where rapid response protects business continuity.[3] Notably, its proximity to Mount Fuji positions it for dual urban-rural challenges, blending routine duties with tourism safety. For business and tech readers, this incident highlights fire departments' evolving role in corporate risk management amid Japan's innovation-driven economy, though deeper organizational data like founding date or tech adoptions (
