Two members of the hugely popular Japanese girl group AKB48 have been injured after they were attacked by a male fan with a saw.

Rina Kawaei, 19, and Anna Iriyama, 18, were greeting fans in the Japanese city of Takizawa on Sunday when a man brandished a saw and attacked them.

The two performers sustained cuts on their heads and hands, with a male staff members also cut on his hand as he tried to protect the women. They were quickly rushed to hospital, where the surgery of the two singers was successful, according to the band’s manager.

Japanese police have arrested Satoru Umeta, 24, over the attack.

AKB48 are the largest pop group in the world, with around 140 members, and a hugely popular in many Asian countries.

The band performs at their own exclusive AKB48 Theater in Akihabara district in Tokyo almost every day.