National News

TOYOHASHI, Aichi -- A high school girl received hospital treatment after an assailant splashed an adhesive substance on her face in what appears to be a random attack, police said.

The 16-year-old girl was cycling home in Toyohashi at about 7:55 p.m. on Friday when a man on a bicycle approached her and splashed an adhesive-like liquid over the left side of her face. The student was taken to hospital in an ambulance, and her left eye was washed. She is not expected to suffer any lasting effects.

Police said the assailant appeared to be aged between 20 and 40, and was between about 160 and 170 centimeters tall. He had a long, narrow face, and was wearing a navy-colored long-sleeved shirt and jeans. He was reportedly riding a black bicycle.

The attack occurred in a corner of a residential area in Toyohashi, about two kilometers southeast of Toyohashi City Hall. The 16-year-old sought help at a nearby pachinko parlor.

At the time of the attack, the student was on her way home alone from club practice at school, say police. They are continuing to investigate.