Japan stabbings lead to arrest of teen

TOKYO — Three people, including two students on their way to take university entrance exams, were stabbed Saturday just outside a test venue, and authorities arrested a 17-year-old student on suspicion of attempted murder, Tokyo police said.

The victims — two 18-year-old high school students and a 72-year-old man — were taken to a hospital for treatment, police said. Local media later reported that the older victim was in serious condition.

Police said the attacker, who was identified only as a high school student from the central Japanese city of Nagoya, stabbed the three people on a street just outside the University of Tokyo’s main campus, one of the venues for Japan’s two-day nationwide entrance exams this weekend.

Police said they are investigating the attacker’s motives. He was not taking the exam. Police are also looking into a small fire at a nearby subway station that occurred just before the attack. The suspect claimed to be responsible for the fire, according to local media.

About 3,700 students attended Saturday’s exams at the University of Tokyo, which began as scheduled despite the attack.