20-year-old Mayu Tomita now in stable condition following brutal attack.

After being stabbed more than 20 times by a deranged fan, Japanese idol singer Mayu Tomita has regained consciousness and is in stable condition.

On the evening of May 21, police received a 110 (the number for emergency crime reports in Japan) call placed from inside a Tokyo venue where Tomita was scheduled to appear, which contained shouts of “You’re not supposed to be in here” and “Help!” After arriving on the scene, they arrested 27-year-old Tomohiro Iwazaki, a fan of Tomita who admitted to the attack. Iwazaki had become incensed over Tomita returning his unsolicited gift of a wristwatch, and said he felt humiliated by her refusal to accept it.

The enraged Iwazaki stabbed Tomita in more than 20 locations, primarily in the chest and neck. The singer was taken to a Tokyo hospital and placed in the ICU, where she has been receiving medical treatment since. Miraculously, her heart and other internal organs were not damaged in the attack, and the authorities have now issued a statement that Tomita regained consciousness around June 3, roughly two weeks after the attack, and that her condition has now stabilized.

Tomita remains hospitalized, and the police plan to interview her about the attack once doctors deem her healthy enough to answer questions.

The incident has similarities with the attack of two teen members of idol group AKB48 which occurred in 2014. In that case, the assailant was eventually convicted and sentenced to six years in prison. At present, Iwazaki remains in police custody and is undergoing a psychological evaluation to determine the extent of his criminal culpability.

Source: Jin, Sankei Sports via Ninji Hokoku