The military in Japan announced on Wednesday that the death toll in a shooting at an army training range has risen to two. Earlier in the day, an 18-year-old soldier had opened fire on his colleagues.
In a brief statement, the Ground Self-Defense Force confirmed the death of another person among the three who were shot. This came after the initial confirmation of one death and two injuries.
The news of the casualties came shortly after the government verified that three members of the Self-Defense Forces had been wounded, and an individual was in custody in relation to the incident.
According to NHK, citing sources, an 18-year-old officer has been arrested for firing an automatic rifle at the shooting range. One of the injured individuals is reported to be in critical condition.
Local media reports indicated that the victims included a man in his 50s and two in their 20s, and there were no reports of any civilian casualties.
The incident took place around 9 am local time at an SDF shooting range in Hino City, located in the central Japanese prefecture of Gifu, according to Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno. An SDF spokesperson stated that eight shots were fired.
Gifu is a popular tourist destination, with Gifu Castle attracting many foreign visitors annually.
The base was originally established by the Imperial Japanese Army in 1907 and was subsequently taken over by the US Army after World War II. SDF members have been using the 6.7-hectare firing range since 1960.
Currently, the firing range is primarily utilized by members of the Ground SDF Camp Moriyama in the nearby city of Nagoya.
Shootings are exceedingly rare in Japan, as the country has stringent regulations on gun ownership. Prospective gun owners must undergo a rigorous vetting process to obtain a firearm.
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