TOKYO: Japanese police said Sunday they had arrested a man over a stabbing at a train station which left one person dead and two wounded.

The Wednesday evening attack outside the JR Nagano Station in central Japan was a rare case of violent crime in the country.

Police detained a 46-year-old local man, initially arresting him for attempted murder, an officer said in a news conference aired by public broadcaster NHK.

He could face further charges at a later stage.

A 49-year-old man was killed, while a man in his 30s sustained serious injuries and a woman in her 40s was lightly wounded, local media reported.

The three victims were apparently targeted at random at a bus stop outside the train station, Japanese media said citing investigative sources.

Nagano is the capital of an eponymous prefecture which is a popular destination for winter sports.

AFP