Police have arrested three men for allegedly kidnapping a junior high school girl in Ota Ward, Tokyo, on Wednesday evening and demanding a ransom of ¥20 million from her family.

The 12-year-old girl was safe and in police protection after she was found about three hours after being abducted, authorities said.

She was found in a van with two of the suspects in Fuchu, western Tokyo, by a police officer who did not know about the kidnapping but was checking license plates for stolen vehicles.