During Kishida’s performance in a port town in western Japan, an unknown person threw an object, police officers wrestled the man to the ground and took him away.
(Photo: dpa)
Tokyo Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida escaped with a fright in an attack. At a campaign event, a 24-year-old Japanese man threw a cylindrical object, believed to be a smoke bomb, at Kishida. The thrown object hit the ground about a meter away from Kishida, but did not immediately explode. Kishida was immediately shielded and taken to safety.
No one was injured in the explosion that followed, but the perpetrator was arrested immediately. The police found a second explosive device on him. Prime Minister Kishida then continued his campaign speeches in other places. “I apologize for the worry and inconvenience I have caused you,” he told viewers at Wakayama Central Station.
The attack shortly before the start of the G7 foreign ministers’ meeting in Japan brings back memories of the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in July 2022. Abe was no longer head of government when he was shot from behind with a homemade pistol during a campaign speech in neighboring Nara Prefecture and passed away.
The perpetrator at the time gave Abe’s connections to the Moon sect, which he believes had ruined his family, as the motive for the crime. In the new case, it is still unknown what goal the 24-year-old Kimura was pursuing. What they have in common is that elections are coming up again this time.
Last year, however, it was the elections to the House of Lords, the upper chamber of the Japanese parliament. This time it was all about this month’s House of Commons by-election. Prime Minister Kishida supports the local candidate of his Liberal Democratic Party in the Saikazaki fishing port.
The longtime Japanese head of government was considered the architect of Japan’s economic and foreign policy.
(Photo: AP)
These appearances are common and follow a similar pattern. The politicians usually stand in front of a train station on boxes or the roof of loudspeaker buses to address an often relatively small group of voters. They get very close to the visitors.
In Abe’s case, the victim was standing on a traffic island. This allowed the perpetrator to approach the politician from behind from across the street. As a result, critical seconds passed before the police could bring him down.
Japan: G7 events in focus
In Kishida’s case, the perpetrator was apparently among the spectators in an open hall in the fishing port. A video on Twitter gives an idea of what happened. The man must have thrown an explosive device, whereupon present fishermen and police officers immediately threw him down. At first, onlookers surrounded the scene and filmed it with smartphones. When the explosive device went off, the place suddenly learned.
Japan’s Prime Minister before his speech in the city of Wakayama.
(Photo: dpa)
Kishida didn’t let that stop him from continuing his speeches. He then promptly shared some core sentences with the nation on his Twitter account. “We are now holding elections, which are the most important part of our democracy,” Kishida said. “We must ensure that each and every one of you, the main players in this country, can express your thoughts and feelings.” In this sense, he will continue to stand on the streets and give speeches.
>> Read also: North Korea triggers missile alert in Japan
However, the incident will not only fuel the discussion about the protection of Japanese politicians. Japan’s police are also expected to tighten security at G7 events held across the country. This weekend not only the environment ministers of the seven most important traditional industrial powers and the Commission of the European Union are meeting in Sapporo in northern Japan. The foreign ministers’ meeting begins on Sunday in Karuizawa, north of Tokyo. After visits to China and South Korea, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock is also expected to attend.
In mid-May, the final summit will take place in Kishida’s hometown of Hiroshima. Cabinet Office Chief Hirokazu Matsuno has already discussed security measures for the events with the National Police Agency. “We will do what we have to do to ensure the safety of key personnel,” Matsuno said.
In the meantime, the first messages from foreign politicians are arriving. One of the first was Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who tweeted with relief that “my friend @kishida230” was safe. “I pray for his continued well-being and good health. India condemns all acts of violence.”
More: The German economy is discovering Japan as a counterweight to China