Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was quickly escorted away from a campaign event in Wakayama today after an unidentified individual threw what appeared to be a smoke bomb at him. The suspect, whose identity has not yet been disclosed, was arrested on the scene.
Witnesses reported hearing a loud bang before seeing smoke rise near the stage where Mr. Kishida had been scheduled to give his speech. One witness, Hiroshi Sato, described the chaotic scene: "I saw someone throw something towards the stage and then there was this big cloud of smoke."
Another attendee at the event, Yumi Nakamura, recalled hearing "a big bang" that disrupted the otherwise peaceful gathering.
The incident comes just over a year after former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's shocking assassination. Security concerns have since heightened for public officials in Japan.
Prime Minister Kishida's office released a statement confirming his safety and condemning any acts of violence or intimidation against political leaders:
Shibuya went on to emphasize that such incidents undermine democratic processes:
As security measures continue being reassessed in light of recent events surrounding government figures, many hope that these incidents will not deter politicians from engaging openly with their constituents.
Investigators are currently working on determining any motives behind today's smoke bomb scare while also examining whether it may be connected to last year’s tragic shooting incident involving Shinzo Abe.