The man arrested over a fatal stabbing at a bookstore in the Tokyo city of Hachioji on Tuesday has told police that he bought the knife used in the attack nearby, and didn't care who he stabbed.

Arrested over the attack that claimed the life of Mana Saiki, a 22-year-old worker at a bookstore in the Keio Hachioji Station building, was Shoichi Kanno, 33.

When questioned over the attack, Kanno reportedly told police, "I bought the knife near the scene." Police are investigating his motives for targeting the bookstore and are trying to identify the store where the knife was bought.

Investigators said that Kanno was responding to questioning in a straightforward manner. He reportedly told them, "My work wasn't going well and I bought the knife after deciding to kill someone. I was frustrated. I didn't care who (I attacked)."

Police said Kanno stabbed Saiki near the entrance of the bookstore on the ninth floor of the station building at about 9:40 p.m. on Tuesday as she was arranging books, and then attacked a female customer who was standing nearby.

Saiki's cause of death is believed to be loss of blood from a stab wound on the left side of her chest. An autopsy was due to be performed on Wednesday.

After the attack, Kanno used an elevator to flee to the ground floor, but left the knife behind. A bag containing a medical institution's registration card bearing Kanno's name was found near where Saiki had collapsed.

Kanno's 69-year-old father said that Kanno had gone on to high school after junior high school, but dropped out. He applied to join the company where he was currently working in late April, but broke a finger immediately after starting his job and had to take time off.

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