Tokyo van attack: Driver ploughs into New Year crowd in Harajuku district

Nine people were injured after the vehicle slammed into pedestrians gathered for festivities

A van ploughed into pedestrians celebrating the New Year in central Tokyo, leaving nine people injured.

The man driving the minivan has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder following the crash in the Harajuku fashion district of the city in the early hours of Tuesday morning.

Footage showed a van with the front end smashed and paramedics rushing to the scene.

The 21-year-old suspect, identified as Kazuhiro Kusakabe, has been arrested and is being questioned, Tokyo Metropolitan Police said.

He is suspected of intentionally trying to kill people by driving the small vehicle through the street, which local media said had been closed to vehicle traffic for holiday revellers, just after midnight.

Eight people were hit by the minivan, and one of the pedestrians is believed to be in a critical condition.

A ninth person was assaulted by the driver after he got out of the vehicle, police said.

A large tank of kerosene was found in the van and the suspect had allegedly planned to burn down the vehicle, Mainichi newspaper and other Japanese media reported.

The crash occurred on Takeshita Dori in Shibuya ward, a street well-known to tourists and pop culture and fashion fans.

The street was said to be packed with people heading to the Meiji Shrine for New Year’s prayers.

With additional reporting by AP