On May 25, a man wielding a saw attacked and wounded 19-year-old Rina Kawaei and 18-year-old Anna Iriyama, two members of bumper girl group AKB48, and a male staffer at an event where fans get to shake hands with their AKB idols.
Fortunately the injuries were minor, but fans were shocked. The victims and their AKB48 comrades must have been terrified.
AKB48 has achieved superstar status, churning out serial million-selling CDs on the back of its image as a band of "idols you can meet." The members tour the country, shaking fans' hands, having their photos taken with them and generally interacting with their supporters. (One reason they sell millions of CDs in this post-CD world is that each package includes an IOU for a handshake with the AKB48 girl of your choice.)