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phone that read: "It's time." The attack began 20 minutes later.

The reported messages gave Japan a limited glimpse into the mind of a man accused of the deadliest knife assault in Tokyo in recent memory.

The rampage shocked Japan, which boasts a low crime rate compared to other industrialized nations. Tokyo, with a population of 12.7 million, is considered relatively safe, with guns tightly restricted and shootings rare. The exception is gang violence, but gangsters do not generally attack the general public.

Takashi Kiuchi, who was on a high school judo team with one of the victims, said many