EHIME –
Four men have been arrested in connection with a mass assault that erupted during a traditional festival in Saijo, Ehime Prefecture, leaving seven people injured after more than 30 participants became involved in the violence.
Video filmed by a viewer in October 2025 captured the chaotic scene on a nighttime street, where shouting could be heard as more than 30 people exchanged blows. One individual appeared to be carrying what looked like a bladed weapon.
The incident occurred during the Saijo Festival, a centuries-old event believed to date back to the Edo period. The festival is renowned for its elaborate danjiri floats, which are carried through the streets by residents from individual neighborhood associations.
Police arrested four suspects on June 10, including 34-year-old Kyodai Suzuki and 34-year-old Yuki Ochi. According to investigators, all four were involved in carrying danjiri floats as members of the same neighborhood association.
The suspects are accused of assaulting seven people connected to another neighborhood association using expandable batons and their fists, causing injuries.
According to people familiar with the incident, a dispute had broken out between danjiri bearers from the two neighborhood associations shortly before the assault occurred.
Source: FNN
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