Authorities say they received an emergency call reporting a pungent odor and throat irritation at a bank in the GINZA SIX commercial complex in Tokyo's upscale Ginza area at around noon on May 25.

A man is believed to have sprayed a substance believed to be pepper spray at a Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation branch and fled the scene.

So far, 26 people have complained of feeling unwell.

The Tokyo Fire Department has dispatched 59 vehicles, including fire engines and superambulance, to provide first aid.

Officials said all those affected are conscious, and 25 people have been transported to hospital.

Tokyo police said security camera footage shows a man wearing a white mask, a dark-colored jacket and white pants releasing what appears to be pepper spray before fleeing.

Police are searching for his whereabouts.

The incident occurred in the heart of Ginza, a popular tourist area lined with high-end stores and commercial facilities.