On 15th April Saturday morning, someone threw an explosive device at a campaign event in a western port city of Wakayama where Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida about to address the crowd. Just before he started his speech, a pipe-like object was thrown near Mr. Kishida which was appeared to be a smJapan PM evacuated unhurt oke bomb.
As per the local news reports, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was evacuated safely and no one was hurt in the crowd. Police tussled with suspect and was able to arrest him whereas people scrambled to get away from the smoke filled air. In a video footage released by Japan’s public broadcaster, public fleeing and a man being arrested following the explosion has been captured. In one more clip, a pipe-like object was seen at the spot, news agency Reuters reported. PM Fumio Kishida was evacuated unharmed from the spot, Japanese media said.
Mr. Kishida visited the Saikazaki port in Wakayama to support his ruling party in a local election. Since no one was hurt, Mr. Kishida decided to continue campaigning on Saturday.
This city has also seen the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during a campaign event last July. He was shot with a homemade gun during a campaign speech and the suspect, Tetsuya Yamagami, has been arrested and charged with murder, including violating the gun control law.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said, “We have instructed national police to ensure their utmost effort for the protection of dignitaries who are visiting Japan in the period leading up to the Group of Seven summit in May”.
“Elections are the core of democracy and we should never tolerate threats or obstruction by violence, and I believe (continuing on with his campaign schedule) was the Prime Minister’s judgment in that context,” Mr. Matsuno said.
