Last Updated on 04/15/2023 by てんしょく飯
At around 11:25 am on 15 April, an explosion was heard and white smoke rose at the Zogasaki fishing port in Zogasaki, Wakayama City, where Prime Minister Kishida was visiting.
According to police authorities, the Prime Minister was not injured and no one in the audience was hurt.
A smoke bomb-like object was thrown into the area, and Wakayama Prefectural Police seized a man, believed to be in his 20s, at the scene and arrested him on suspicion of obstructing force.
According to the LDP headquarters, the Prime Minister was visiting the fishing port to make a speech in support of the supplementary election for Wakayama’s first lower house constituency (to be held on 23 May). On the morning of the day, he inspected the fishing port. He was then scheduled to give a speech at around 11:25 am, but just before his speech an explosion was heard.
There were more than 200 people in the audience at the scene. According to witnesses, the Prime Minister had sampled seafood at the fishing port and was about to stand in front of the audience to make a speech together with the LDP candidate. At this time, a silver smoke bomb-like object about 15 cm long was thrown into the area.
A scream of ‘kyaa’ was heard from the scene and one man was seized. Immediately after the police officers shouted “Get away”, an explosion sounded like a ‘bang’ and white smoke rose. The Prime Minister was immediately surrounded by security guards and evacuated from the area. Apart from the objects thrown into the area where the arrested man was, what appeared to be a smoke bomb fell on the ground.
According to a police official, SPs from the Metropolitan Police Department and police officers from the Prefectural Police were on guard at the scene.
In July last year, former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot and killed while giving a speech in support of his election in Nara City, leading the National Police Agency to review its protection of VIPs. The system was changed to one in which the national government is proactively involved, with the NPA checking draft protection plans prepared by prefectural and metropolitan police forces.
LDP Secretary-General Mogi said: ‘I have just spoken to the Prime Minister and he said that he was not injured. It is extremely regrettable and strongly condemned that such an outrage took place during the election period, which is the foundation of democracy”.
On the morning of 15 April, Prime Minister Kishida visited Zogasaki fishing port in support of an LDP candidate standing for the Wakayama 1 Lower House supplementary election.
When the Prime Minister appeared in front of the audience to make a speech together with the candidate, a scream of ‘Kyaa’ was heard and one man was seized. Shortly afterwards, a loud explosion was heard and white smoke rose. The Prime Minister immediately evacuated the area and was safe.
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