A 72-year-old man was arrested on Tuesday after slashing his stomach with a knife near the main entrance to the Metropolitan Police Department headquarters.

A police officer who tried to stop the man from using the knife was also wounded.

The two were both taken to a hospital with minor injuries.

The man was named as Shoji Tsuchida. He was arrested on suspicion of assault and violation of the Firearms and Swords Control Law.

According to police, Tsuchida visited the MPD building for a consultation.

However, while the 41-year-old police officer was attending to Tsuchida, he became excited, took out the knife, with a blade of 8.6 cm, and started slashing his stomach.

The officer, who received a cut to his left hand, is from a division that receives inquiries or complaints about various incidents.

The officer was listening to the man in a waiting room located on the first floor of the MPD building, outside a gate where visitors need identification to enter.