At least 19 people were taken to hospital after a strong smell spread through a shopping complex in Tokyo on Monday.
The incident happened at the luxury Ginza 6 shopping centre in the city’s Ginza district.
According to police, a man sprayed a substance near a cash machine on the ground floor of the building.
Officials believe the substance was an irritant spray containing capsaicin, a chemical found in chilli peppers.
Police are still searching for the suspect, according to reports by NHK.
People near the scene reported throat irritation and breathing discomfort after the substance spread through the area.
One 70-year-old woman told AFP that her throat started “stinging and hurting” as she approached the ATM area.
“By the time I arrived, the commotion had already started, and I thought there might have been a small fire or something,” she said.
“Once I went into the ATM corner, my throat felt scratchy, almost numb.”
Police officers, firefighters and ambulance personnel quickly arrived at the shopping centre after the incident.
Authorities blocked the road in front of the mall as emergency teams responded.
Officials wearing hazmat suits were also seen helping people leave the building.
Images from the scene showed security cordons around parts of the mall while emergency workers covered sections of the area with tarpaulins.
