Fan attacks Japanese girl-group members with a saw

Two members of popular Japanese pop group AKB48 were injured after a fan attacked them with a saw.

Rina Kawaei, 19, and Anna Iriyama, 18, were meeting with fans in the northern city of Takizawa on Sunday when a man lunged forward and slashed them.

They sustained cuts on their hands and heads, reported Kyodo. A male staff member was also cut on his hand.

The group holds the Guinness record for being the world's largest pop group.

The police have arrested the 24-year-old man, identified as Satoru Umeta.

AKB48's manager was reported as saying the two girls' surgery was successful and they would be able to leave the hospital by Monday.

A Tokyo concert scheduled for Monday night and other fan events have been cancelled.

News of the attack was covered widely in national media. AKB48, which was founded in 2005, is hugely popular in Japan and other Asian countries.

Joy Division wrote:...very lucky to be alive!!



I believe they needed a BANDage and they should have told the attacker to ...Piss Sawfffffff!

Nice to hear they are ok though.

victorisnotamused wrote:the same sort of crazy person that shoots six dead then tops himself I guess...you dont have the monopoly on nutters, even if at times it seems like that.......

victorisnotamused wrote:://?roflmao?/: ://?roflmao?/: how true....

Its just WE hjave a "better class" of nutters...being english and all that y'know ::hndbg:: 

Ben_Reilly wrote:

Joy Division wrote:...very lucky to be alive!!



I believe they needed a BANDage and they should have told the attacker to ...Piss Sawfffffff!

Nice to hear they are ok though.

A story to sink your teeth into no doubt ...

But seriously, what kind of crazy person attacks someone with a saw?!