The attacker has been identified as Ryuji Kimura, a 24-year-old man from Hyogo Prefecture (Image: Reuters/Kyodo)
Kimura has not responded to police questioning and the motive behind his attack on Japan PM Fumio Kishida remains unclear.
Ryuji Kimura, a 24-year-old man from Hyogo Prefecture, was arrested on Saturday moments after he hurled a cylindrical object resembling a pipe-bomb at Japan prime minister Fumio Kishida before his scheduled speech at a fishing port in the Japanese city of Wakayama.
Kimura, according to NHK, Japan Times and Kyodo News is yet to respond to questioning.
On Saturday morning, when Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was campaigning for a candidate set to contest in the upcoming bypoll elections, Kimura hurled a 15-centimetre long tube-like object. One exploded on impact and the other did not explode.
Two fishermen were first to subdue Kimura and moments later police officers and security officials rushed to the spot and pinned the man from Hyogo down.
According to Kyodo News, Japan’s chief cabinet secretary Hirozaku Matsuno said the incident was “ extremely unforgivable”. “Elections are a bedrock of democracy. It is extremely unforgivable that such violence took place (at such a time),” Matsuno was quoted as saying by Kyodo News.
He added that the suspect’s motive is being probed and urged the National Police Agency to ensure the protection of VIPs.
The cylindrical object was hurled towards the spot where Kishida was expected to address a gathering around 11.25am (local time) from among a crowd of several hundred people, Kyodo News reported.
There was a loud bang and it sent people fleeing in panic. A video by BNONews showed a small cloud of smoke following the blast.
A person, Naoya Tanimoto, told Kyodo News a loud explosion was heard 10 seconds after the man was wrestled to the ground. Tanimoto said the area is quiet since it is a fishing port and people were scared and panicked.
There have been no reports of injuries and fire trucks were mobilised immediately.
The Japanese Prime Minister was escorted by his security details to a car parked just a dozen metres away. They took him to the headquarters of the Wakayama prefectural police.
Kishida is slated to speak in Urayasu and Ichikawa in Chiba Prefecture later in the afternoon and will continue with his trip to Oita Prefecture on Sunday.
“Together with you all, we have to carry on with the election,” Kishida was quoted as saying by Kyodo News. He said the incident should not be allowed to disrupt the electoral process.
Nine months ago, former prime minister of Japan Shinzo Abe was killed by a lone-wolf attacker as he was addressing an electoral campaign event. Saturday’s blast reignited those memories in the minds of many Japanese people.
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