Shoma Aoyama

The attacker, who escaped from the Ito-Yokado store, was later arrested on a nearby street.

He was identified as Katsunao Ujiie, 34, who has no fixed address or job.

Investigators said that while Ujiie, who had been released from prison last month, was occasionally incoherent, he said: "I wanted to kill them all. I was irritated."

The victim, Shoma Aoyama, fell into a coma after the attacker rammed the knife into the boy's head.

Katsunao Ujiie

Aoyama was in the store with his family from the nearby city of Okazaki, police said. His 3-year-old sister sustained minor wounds in the attack.

They were attacked while they were playing in a play area near the children's clothing corner on the second floor of the store. Their mother, who brought them to the store, was not at the scene, according to police.

The Japan Times Weekly: Feb. 12, 2005
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