On the day before the national vote in Japan, the country’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was targeted with an explosive device at a campaign event held in the city of Takamatsu. The explosive device landed behind the stage where Mr. Abe was speaking, but fortunately, the prime minister and those surrounding him were not injured. The incident has caused widespread concern about the safety of political campaigns in Japan, and has raised questions about who might be responsible for the attack. This article will examine the details of the event and explore what it may mean for Japan’s future political landscape.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was evacuated unharmed after an explosive device was thrown in his direction during a campaign stop at a fishing port in western Japan. The incident occurred just before he was to begin his speech in support of his ruling party’s candidate in a local election. No one was hurt, and Kishida continued campaigning earlier on Saturday; however, the scene was reminiscent of the assassination nine months ago of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, which also occurred on a campaign tour.
A young man believed to be a suspect was arrested at the scene after he allegedly threw a “suspicious object”. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno informed reporters that it wasn’t clear what the explosive device was or how many the suspect had, but some reports suggested it was a smoke or pipe bomb with a possible delayed fuse. TV footage shows Kishida standing with his back to the crowd when his security detail suddenly points to the ground near him, and the prime minister whips around, looking alarmed. As police collapse on top of the young man, working to remove the tube from his hands, a large explosion is heard near where Kishida had been standing.
Matsuno did not comment on the suspect’s possible motive or background, saying police are still investigating. The attack comes ahead of nationwide local elections with voting scheduled for April 23. Abe’s assassination, which shocked the nation that prides itself on public safety and extremely tight gun controls, occurred when he delivered a campaign speech in the western city of Nara. Witnesses at today’s campaign stop said they saw something come flying from behind and then heard a loud noise before fleeing in panic.
Kishida’s government was hoping to focus world attention this weekend on the hot spring resort town of Karuizawa, where senior diplomats gathered on Sunday for the so-called Group of Seven foreign ministers’ meeting. Foreign ministers from Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Canada, Italy and the European Union were expected to focus on worries over Russia’s war in Ukraine, China’s increasingly belligerent rise and North Korea’s provocative string of weapons’ tests.
Police have tightened protective measures following their investigation into Abe’s assassination that found holes in his security. The former prime minister was shot with a homemade gun, and the suspect, Tetsuya Yamagami, has been charged with murder and several other crimes, including violating the gun control law. Yamagami told investigators he killed Abe, one of Japan’s most influential and divisive politicians, because of the former prime minister’s apparent links to a religious group that Yamagami hated. In statements and social media postings attributed to him, Yamagami said he developed a grudge because his mother had made massive donations to the Unification Church, which he claimed bankrupted his family and ruined his life.
Kishida will host a May 19-21 G-7 leaders’ summit in his hometown of Hiroshima. The attack on him occurred on the eve of a major international forum in Japan, and security has also been ramped up in Japan as senior diplomats from some of the world’s most powerful democracies arrive for the G-7 foreign minister meetings. Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said, “Elections are the core of democracy, and we should never tolerate threats or obstruction by violence,” and instructed national police to ensure their utmost effort for the protection of dignitaries who are visiting Japan leading up to the G-7 summit in May.
Although Kishida was unharmed in the incident, it is a reminder of the danger inherent in political campaigning. It also indicates the need for politicians and other public figures to take security measures seriously when speaking in public, especially during elections. As the investigation into the incident continues, it remains to be seen how it will impact the election campaign and political climate in Japan.
In conclusion, the attempted attack on Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during a campaign stop is reminiscent of the assassination nine months ago of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on a campaign tour. It is a reminder of the danger inherent in political campaigning and the need for politicians and other public figures to take security measures seriously when speaking in public, especially during elections. The incident highlights the importance of protective measures that follow a subsequent investigation that found holes in Abe’s security. As the investigation into the incident continues, it remains to be seen how it will impact the election campaign and political climate in Japan.
