Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was safely evacuated from a public event in Wakayama after an explosion-like sound was heard, and a "pipe-like object" was thrown near him during his speech. Public broadcaster NHK reported that an explosion sound occurred at the scene, raising concerns for the safety of Mr. Kishida.
Local news footage showed officers quickly subduing and removing an unidentified man as people cleared the area. Witnesses described seeing a person throw something towards the prime minister, followed by smoke erupting from the object. Another witness mentioned hearing a loud bang during the incident.
"I saw someone furiously throwing what looked like a pipe," said Yuki Nakamura, 39, who attended the event in Wakayama. "Then there was this big bang sound, and everyone around started panicking."
Authorities have not yet released information on any charges or motives behind this alarming act directed toward Japan's leader.
This unsettling episode comes after former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe faced tragedy last year when he was shot dead while campaigning for re-election.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has been leading Japan since October 2021 following his election to leadership within his party earlier that same month. Despite recent tensions caused by regional geopolitical issues such as China's assertiveness over Taiwan and North Korea's nuclear weapons program, it is still unclear whether these factors played any role in today's events involving Mr. Kishida.
In response to this occurrence, security measures are likely to be reviewed for future political gatherings across Japan. The nation remains vigilant against potential threats targeting its political leaders amid heightened international tensions throughout East Asia.
As investigations into today's incident continue, authorities will strive to determine if this act against Prime Minister Fumio Kishida represents a broader threat to the nation's political stability or an isolated occurrence by a disturbed individual.