Arab News Japan

TOKYO: An explosion took place at the site of a public election event featuring Japanese Prime Minister KISHIDA Fumio in a fishing port in Wakayama City in western Japan on Saturday morning. Kishida was not injured in the attack.

Hunting the Prime Minister has become a national pastime in Japan.

🇯🇵 The moment of throwing an explosive device at Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and detaining the suspect.
https://t.co/eXFHk4Kdqe pic.twitter.com/QcSCuEO2Gw

— Victor vicktop55 (@vicktop55) April 15, 2023

Kishida was there to support KADO Hirofumi, the Liberal Democratic Party candidate for the House of Representatives by-election in Wakayama District No. 1.

Kishida had arrived by car at the fishing port of Saikazaki at approximately 11:15 and inspected the fishing facilities. As he was about to taste some seafood in front of the gathered audience, mostly fishermen and their families, a man in the audience threw a silver cylinder about 15 cm long at Kishida.

It fell about 2 meters away from the prime minister and there was an explosion that caused white smoke to spread. Immediately, security men rushed to surround the prime minister and evacuate him from the scene while others were able to arrest the perpetrator after two fishermen pinned him to the ground.

Police named the perpetrator as Ryuji Kimura, 24, from Hyogo Prefecture, and said he had a second device with him.

An eyewitness told the media: “While Kishida was saluting the audience with the candidate next to him, I saw a canister fly in his direction. If it had hit him accurately, it might have killed him or seriously injured him.”

Kishida took the incident in his stride, making another campaign appearance later in the day. “We are in the midst of an electoral battle, and we must go through with it to the end, no matter what happens,” he said.

Kishida has personally called these two fishermen and thanked them for their “courageous acts,” NHK reported.

MOTEGI Toshimitsu, secretary general of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said, “I spoke with the prime minister and he is fine and has not been injured. It is very unfortunate that such a violent act took place during the election period, which is the basis of democracy.”

The perpetrator was arrested on charges of “obstruction of business”, a common initial charge often used by Japanese police before further charges are added. Police sources told the media that he refused to make any statement about his motives without the presence of a lawyer.

The Japanese government took measures to enhance the security of VIPs after the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister ABE Shinzo as he was delivering an election speech in the city of Nara in July 2022. The latest incident comes as Japan prepares to host the G7 summit in Hiroshima next May.

Chief Cabinet Secretary MATSUNO Hirokazu accused the perpetrator of targeting the elections and democracy. Matsuno added that he asked the police to speed up the investigations into the incident and ensure the protection of VIPs.

Analysts believe the perpetrator most likely wanted to emulate Abe’s assassin for his own personal reasons. For Japan, the incident seems to indicate the country’s restrictions on the use of firearms are facing a major challenge.