On Saturday, while attending a public event in Wakayama to endorse his political party’s candidate in a local election, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was attacked with what seemed to be a smoke bomb.
The attack occurred shortly before he was scheduled to give his speech. Despite the unsettling incident, Mr. Kishida was quickly evacuated from the scene and fortunately did not suffer any harm.
In a disturbing recurrence of violence against Japanese political figures, the recent smoke bomb attack on Prime Minister Fumio Kishida follows an incident less than a year ago, in which former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot while delivering a campaign speech in July 2022.
The perpetrator, identified as Tetsuya Yamagami, employed a makeshift gun to carry out the attack on Abe, who luckily survived the shooting.
According to Witnesses: Here’s what happened
Local media has reported that a man was arrested at the location in Wakayama where Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was set to deliver a speech. Eyewitnesses recounted seeing an individual throw an object, followed by the release of smoke, while another reported hearing a loud noise. Fortunately, no injuries were reported from the incident.
Video footage depicts officers piling on top of a person, believed to be the suspect, who was later identified by authorities as 24-year-old Ryuji Kimura. The motive behind the attack is still unknown, and Kimura was arrested on suspicion of obstructing business.
Japan’s public broadcaster, NHK, quoted Mr. Kishida as describing a “loud blast” at the venue and extending apologies for causing trouble and worry among the people. NHK also aired footage showing individuals fleeing the scene while a group of people gathered around the suspect and subdued him before carrying him away.
While attending a campaign event at a fishing harbor in Wakayama, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida had just commenced his speech when the object was thrown, and he sought cover. In response to the incident, Mr. Kishida spoke to a different crowd and expressed his belief that it should not disrupt the electoral process.
An eyewitness, who was at the scene, recounted feeling stunned and said that their heart was still racing. Another person reported seeing an object hurled through the air, which gave them an uneasy feeling, prompting them to run away quickly. They further added that a loud noise ensued, causing their daughter to cry.