A man dressed as the ‘Joker’ from Batman has injured at least 17 people in a knife and arson attack on a train in Tokyo

The suspect, understood to be in his 20s, was seen wearing what appeared to be the Joker costume, walking down train carriages while waving a knife.

According to Japanese media, the man attacked people with the knife and also started a fire on the train.

In a video clip posted to social media, passengers could be seen fleeing the underground train while at a station, with others running from the burning flames inside the carriage.

The incident forced some trains within the area to be suspended, after services were disrupted.

Dozens of firefighters and police officers were seen working outside the station.

‘Halloween Stunt’

One eyewitness says she thought it was a “halloween stunt”, but the suspect showed no emotions during the attack according to another eyewitness.

The man has since been arrested by Police and has been charged with attempted murder and arson.

Violent crime is rare in Japan, but in August nine people were wounded, one of them seriously, in a stabbing on a commuter train in Tokyo, with the suspect fleeing the scene and later handing himself in.