HAMAMATSU, Shizuoka (Japan News/ANN): Two women in central Japan died after they were stabbed by a man at a bar in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka prefecture, early on Sunday (July 6).

The victims were bar manager Tomoka Takeuchi, 27, and Rin Ito, 26, an employee.

The police arrested Ichiro Yamashita, 41, at the scene. He said he is unemployed and the police are investigating his motive and the relationship among the three.

An emergency call was made at about 1.55am on July 6, stating that a man had stabbed two women with a knife.

According to firefighters and others, the victims were unconscious and in critical condition when they were taken to the hospital.

Yamashita is believed to be a regular customer of the so-called girls bar, where female employees serve drinks.

He allegedly stabbed Takeuchi in the back and is quoted by police as saying: “It is correct that I stabbed her.”

According to the police, he entered the bar with Ito and then stabbed Takeuchi twice in the back. After that, he stabbed Ito several times.

He carried two knives with 20cm blades.

He reportedly did not try to run or resist when police arrived at the scene. There were other customers and employees in the bar at the time of the incident.

The crime scene is in a downtown area about 500m west of JR Hamamatsu Station. -- THE JAPAN NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK