Man arrested in Japan for repeatedly bumping into schoolchildren

Police in Yamato City, Kanagawa Prefecture, have arrested a 64-year-old man for allegedly and repeatedly bumping into schoolchildren. The arrest followed reports from teachers who had grown concerned about the man's behavior.

According to the Yamato Police Station, the suspect, an office worker residing in Izumi Ward, Yokohama City, was apprehended on May 26. He is accused of knocking down a 7-year-old second-grade girl on a crosswalk around 7:25 a.m., causing a scrape on her left knee.

Teachers at the girl's school had been warning each other about a man wearing a black mask who walked quickly and seemed to intentionally collide with students. On May 12, another elementary school girl was bumped from behind while waiting for a traffic light. Teachers reported the incident, but the man was not apprehended at that time.

During a patrol around the school on May 18, police officers noticed a man wearing a black mask acting suspiciously. They detained him for questioning, and he subsequently admitted to frequently bumping into schoolchildren. Investigators are currently working to determine his motives for the repeated assaults.