Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was unhurt after a smoke bomb was thrown at him before he was set to make a speech in Wakayama prefecture, according to national broadcaster NHK.
A man was taken into custody at the venue, Kyodo reported citing the police. Kishida was evacuated from the scene to Wakayama police headquarters, Kyodo said.
A man is captured at a fishing port in Wakayama City, Wakayama Prefecture on April 15, 2023. An explosion sound was heard at the port in Saikazaki, Wakayama City where Prime minister Fumio Kishida was scheduled to make an election campaign speech. According to police, no one was injured and a man was detained. The explosion occurred shortly after 11:00 a.m.
The Yomiuri Shimbun/AP Images
Kishida had been touring a fishing port in Wakayama, which is in central Japan near Osaka, and was set to give a speech, the reports said.
Video posted online by Japanese news outlets showed multiple police tackling a figure at the port, while a crowd scattered around them.
Japan has been on high alert over security for its politicians after former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot and killed last June. The island nation is about to host the G-7 summit for world leaders in Hiroshima next month, and security had been a high priority considering the Abe shooting.
More Must-Reads From TIME
Michael Sin and Lisa Du / Bloomberg
Source link
