Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was evacuated unharmed yesterday after someone threw an explosive device in his direction while he was campaigning at a fishing port in western Japan, officials said.
Police wrestled a suspect to the ground as screaming bystanders scrambled to flee and smoke filled the air.
Although no one was hurt, and Kishida continued campaigning later in the day, the chaotic scene was reminiscent of the assassination of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe nine months ago, which also occurred at a campaign event and continues to reverberate in Japanese politics.
Photo: AFP
Kishida was visiting Saikazaki in Wakayama Prefecture to support his Liberal Democratic Party’s candidate in a local election, and the explosion occurred just before he was to begin his speech.
A young man believed to be a suspect was arrested at the scene after he allegedly threw “the suspicious object,” Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters.
Matsuno refused to comment on the suspect’s motive and background, saying police are still investigating.
TV footage showed Kishida standing with his back to the crowd. His security detail suddenly pointed to the ground near him, and the prime minister whipped around, looking alarmed. The camera quickly turned to the crowd just as several people, including uniformed and plainclothes police officers, converged on a young man wearing a white surgical mask and holding what appeared to be another device, a long silver tube.
As they collapsed on top of the man, working to remove the tube from his hands, a large explosion was heard near where Kishida had been standing. The crowd scattered in panic as police dragged the man away.
It was not immediately clear what the explosive device was or how many the suspect had, but some reports said it was a smoke or pipe bomb, possibly with a delayed fuse.
Kishida did not mention the explosion at events later in the day and returned to the Tokyo region in the evening after campaigning in Chiba Prefecture for another candidate.
“Elections are the core of democracy, and we should never tolerate threats or obstruction by violence,” Matsuno said.
He said he instructed national police to ensure their utmost effort for the protection of dignitaries who are visiting Japan ahead of a G7 summit next month.
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