{"id":5785,"date":"2023-04-15T16:20:17","date_gmt":"2023-04-15T16:20:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/londonpost.news\/?p=5785"},"modified":"2023-04-15T16:22:50","modified_gmt":"2023-04-15T16:22:50","slug":"explosive-thrown-at-japan-pm-in-elections-campaign-event","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/asia\/asia-pacific\/japan\/explosive-thrown-at-japan-pm-in-elections-campaign-event\/2023\/04\/15\/admin1\/","title":{"rendered":"Explosive thrown at Japan PM in Elections campaign event"},"content":{"rendered":"

WAKAYAMA,<\/span> Japan<\/span> (AP)<\/span> –<\/span> Japanese<\/span> Prime<\/span> Minister<\/span> Fumio<\/span> Kishida<\/span> escaped<\/span> unharmed<\/span>\u00a0after<\/span> someone<\/span> threw<\/span> an<\/span> explosive<\/span> device<\/span> in<\/span> his<\/span> direction<\/span> during<\/span> an<\/span> election<\/span> campaign<\/span> at<\/span> a<\/span> fishing<\/span> port<\/span> in<\/span> western<\/span> Japan,<\/span> an<\/span> official<\/span> said.<\/span> Police<\/span> pushed<\/span> the<\/span> suspect<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> ground<\/span> as<\/span> bystanders<\/span> screamed<\/span> and<\/span> fled<\/span> and<\/span> smoke<\/span> filled<\/span> the<\/span> air.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>No<\/span> one<\/span> was<\/span> injured<\/span> and<\/span> Mr<\/span> Kishida<\/span> continued<\/span> his<\/span> campaign<\/span> on<\/span> Saturday,<\/span> but<\/span> the<\/span> chaos<\/span> was<\/span> reminiscent<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> assassination<\/span> of<\/span> former<\/span> Prime<\/span> Minister<\/span> Shinzo<\/span> Abe<\/span> nine<\/span> months<\/span> ago,<\/span> which<\/span> is<\/span> also<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> trajectory<\/span> of<\/span> his<\/span> campaign<\/span> and<\/span> has<\/span> been<\/span> a<\/span> major<\/span> factor<\/span> in<\/span> Japanese<\/span> politics.<\/span> Kishida<\/span> was<\/span> visiting<\/span> Saikazaki<\/span> Port<\/span> in<\/span> Wakayama<\/span> Prefecture<\/span> to<\/span> support<\/span> the<\/span> ruling<\/span> party<\/span> candidate<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> local<\/span> elections,<\/span> but<\/span> just<\/span> before<\/span> his<\/span> speech,<\/span> an<\/span> explosion<\/span> occurred.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>A<\/span> suspected<\/span> young<\/span> man<\/span> was<\/span> arrested<\/span> at<\/span> the<\/span> scene<\/span> on<\/span> Saturday<\/span> for<\/span> throwing<\/span> a<\/span> “suspicious<\/span> object,”<\/span> Chief<\/span> Cabinet<\/span> Secretary<\/span> Hirokazu<\/span> Matsuno<\/span> told<\/span> reporters.<\/span> Matsuno<\/span> declined<\/span> to<\/span> comment<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> suspect’s<\/span> motives<\/span> or<\/span> background,<\/span> saying<\/span> police<\/span> are<\/span> still<\/span> investigating.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Television<\/span> footage<\/span> shows<\/span> Kishida<\/span> standing<\/span> with<\/span> his<\/span> back<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> crowd.<\/span> His<\/span> security<\/span> detail<\/span> suddenly<\/span> points<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> ground<\/span> beside<\/span> him,<\/span> and<\/span> the<\/span> Prime<\/span> Minister<\/span> turns<\/span> around<\/span> in<\/span> amazement.<\/span> The<\/span> camera<\/span> pans<\/span> quickly<\/span> into<\/span> the<\/span> crowd<\/span> as<\/span> they<\/span> run<\/span> towards<\/span> a<\/span> young<\/span> man<\/span> holding<\/span> a<\/span> long<\/span> silver<\/span> tube<\/span> that<\/span> appears<\/span> to<\/span> be<\/span> a<\/span> man.<\/span><\/p>\n

As<\/span> they<\/span> fell<\/span> over<\/span> the<\/span> man<\/span> and<\/span> tried<\/span> to<\/span> remove<\/span> the<\/span> hose<\/span> from<\/span> their<\/span> hands,<\/span> a<\/span> loud<\/span> explosion<\/span> was<\/span> heard<\/span> near<\/span> where<\/span> Kishida<\/span> was<\/span> standing.The<\/span> crowd<\/span> panicked<\/span> as<\/span> police<\/span> violently<\/span> dragged<\/span> the<\/span> man<\/span> away.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>It<\/span> was<\/span> not<\/span> immediately<\/span> clear<\/span> what<\/span> the<\/span> explosives<\/span> were<\/span> or<\/span> how<\/span> many<\/span> the<\/span> suspect<\/span> had,<\/span> but<\/span> some<\/span> reports<\/span> said<\/span> it<\/span> was<\/span> a<\/span> smoke<\/span> grenade<\/span> or<\/span> pipe<\/span> bomb,<\/span> possibly<\/span> with<\/span> a<\/span> delayed<\/span> fuse.<\/span>\u00a0
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>No<\/span> injuries<\/span> were<\/span> reported<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> incident,<\/span> which<\/span> occurred<\/span> on<\/span> the<\/span> eve<\/span> of<\/span> a<\/span> major<\/span> international<\/span> forum<\/span> in<\/span> Japan.<\/span> Matsuno<\/span> said<\/span> Kishida<\/span> was<\/span> uninjured<\/span> and<\/span> continued<\/span> his<\/span> campaign<\/span> speech<\/span> later<\/span> on<\/span> Saturday.<\/span> Kishida<\/span> made<\/span> no<\/span> mention<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> bombing<\/span> and<\/span> returned<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> Tokyo<\/span> area<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> evening<\/span> after<\/span> campaigning<\/span> for<\/span> another<\/span> candidate<\/span> in<\/span> Chiba.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Matsuno<\/span> said,<\/span> “Elections<\/span> are<\/span> the<\/span> foundation<\/span> of<\/span> democracy,<\/span> and<\/span> we<\/span> must<\/span> never<\/span> allow<\/span> the<\/span> threat<\/span> or<\/span> interference<\/span> of<\/span> violence.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>He<\/span> said<\/span> he<\/span> had<\/span> instructed<\/span> the<\/span> national<\/span> police<\/span> to<\/span> do<\/span> everything<\/span> in<\/span> their<\/span> power<\/span> to<\/span> protect<\/span> dignitaries<\/span> visiting<\/span> Japan<\/span> for<\/span> the<\/span> G7<\/span> summit<\/span> in<\/span> May.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Abe’s<\/span> assassination,<\/span> which<\/span> has<\/span> shocked<\/span> a<\/span> country<\/span> that<\/span> boasts<\/span> public<\/span> safety<\/span> and<\/span> extremely<\/span> strict<\/span> gun<\/span> control,<\/span> occurred<\/span> as<\/span> he<\/span> delivered<\/span> an<\/span> election<\/span> speech<\/span> in<\/span> the<\/span> western<\/span> city<\/span> of<\/span> Nara.Amid<\/span> nationwide<\/span> protests.<\/span> Police<\/span> stepped<\/span> up<\/span> protective<\/span> measures<\/span> after<\/span> a<\/span> subsequent<\/span> investigation<\/span> found<\/span> loopholes<\/span> in<\/span> Abe’s<\/span> security.<\/span> Security<\/span> has<\/span> also<\/span> been<\/span> tightened<\/span> in<\/span> Japan,<\/span> as<\/span> senior<\/span> diplomats<\/span> from<\/span> some<\/span> of<\/span> the<\/span> world’s<\/span> most<\/span> powerful<\/span> democracies<\/span> arrive<\/span> at<\/span> the<\/span> G-7<\/span> foreign<\/span> ministers’<\/span> meeting<\/span> on<\/span> Sunday.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>Witnesses<\/span> told<\/span> NHK<\/span> TV<\/span> on<\/span> Saturday<\/span> that<\/span> she<\/span> was<\/span> standing<\/span> in<\/span> a<\/span> crowd<\/span> when<\/span> she<\/span> saw<\/span> something<\/span> approaching<\/span> from<\/span> behind<\/span> her.After<\/span> a<\/span> sudden<\/span> loud<\/span> noise,<\/span> she<\/span> saw<\/span> her<\/span> children<\/span> ran<\/span> away<\/span> with<\/span> Another<\/span> witness<\/span> said<\/span> he<\/span> saw<\/span> people<\/span> screaming<\/span> and<\/span> someone<\/span> being<\/span> arrested<\/span> just<\/span> before<\/span> the<\/span> explosion<\/span> occurred.<\/span> Saturday’s<\/span> attacks<\/span> come<\/span> ahead<\/span> of<\/span> nationwide<\/span> local<\/span> elections,<\/span> including<\/span> by-elections<\/span> for<\/span> vacant<\/span> parliamentarians,<\/span> scheduled<\/span> to<\/span> be<\/span> voted<\/span> on<\/span> April<\/span> 23.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>In<\/span> Abe’s<\/span> assassination,<\/span> the<\/span> former<\/span> prime<\/span> minister<\/span> was<\/span> shot<\/span> dead<\/span> with<\/span> a<\/span> homemade<\/span> gun<\/span> during<\/span> his<\/span> campaign<\/span> speech.<\/span> The<\/span> suspect,<\/span> Tetsuya<\/span> Yamagami,<\/span> has<\/span> been<\/span> charged<\/span> with<\/span> multiple<\/span> crimes,<\/span> including<\/span> murder<\/span> and<\/span> violating<\/span> the<\/span> Firearms<\/span> and<\/span> Swords<\/span> Act.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>He<\/span> told<\/span> investigators<\/span> he<\/span> killed<\/span> Prime<\/span> Minister<\/span> Abe,<\/span> one<\/span> of<\/span> Japan’s<\/span> most<\/span> influential<\/span> and<\/span> divisive<\/span> politicians,<\/span> because<\/span> of<\/span> his<\/span> apparent<\/span> ties<\/span> to<\/span> religious<\/span> groups<\/span> disliked<\/span> by<\/span> the<\/span> former<\/span> prime<\/span> minister.<\/span> said.<\/span> In<\/span> his<\/span> statements<\/span> and<\/span> social<\/span> media<\/span> posts,<\/span> Mr.<\/span> Yamagami<\/span> said<\/span> he<\/span> held<\/span> a<\/span> grudge<\/span> because<\/span> his<\/span> mother<\/span> donated<\/span> so<\/span> much<\/span> money<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> Unification<\/span> Church<\/span> that<\/span> bankrupted<\/span> his<\/span> family<\/span> and<\/span> ruined<\/span> his<\/span> life.<\/span> Abe’s<\/span> murder<\/span> has<\/span> led<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> resignation<\/span> of<\/span> local<\/span> and<\/span> national<\/span> police<\/span> chiefs<\/span> and<\/span> tightened<\/span> safety<\/span> guidelines<\/span> for<\/span> political<\/span> leaders<\/span> and<\/span> other<\/span> prominent<\/span> figures.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>The<\/span> Kishida<\/span> administration<\/span> hoped<\/span> to<\/span> draw<\/span> the<\/span> world’s<\/span> attention<\/span> to<\/span> the<\/span> hot<\/span> spring<\/span> town<\/span> of<\/span> Karuizawa<\/span> this<\/span> weekend.<\/span>
\n<\/span>
\n<\/span>The<\/span> foreign<\/span> ministers<\/span> of<\/span> Japan,<\/span> the<\/span> United<\/span> States,<\/span> the<\/span> United<\/span> Kingdom,<\/span> France,<\/span> Germany,<\/span> Canada,<\/span> Italy<\/span> and<\/span> the<\/span> European<\/span> Union<\/span> have<\/span> voiced<\/span> concerns<\/span> over<\/span> Russia’s<\/span> war<\/span> in<\/span> Ukraine,<\/span> the<\/span> rise<\/span> of<\/span> an<\/span> increasingly<\/span> belligerent<\/span> China<\/span> and<\/span> North<\/span> Korea’s<\/span> series<\/span> of<\/span> provocative<\/span> weapons<\/span> tests.<\/span> Focus<\/span> is<\/span> expected.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

WAKAYAMA, Japan (AP) – Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida escaped unharmed\u00a0after someone threw an explosive device in his direction during an election campaign at a fishing port in western Japan, an official said. Police pushed the suspect to the ground as bystanders screamed and fled and smoke filled the air. No one was injured and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5786,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":""},"categories":[2428,280],"tags":[3898,3899,936,3892,3893,3894,3895,3896,3897],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/explo.webp","amp_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5785"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5785"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5785\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5788,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5785\/revisions\/5788"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5786"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5785"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5785"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/brusselsindependent.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5785"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}