Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was evacuated to safety on Saturday after a person threw what seemed to be a smoke bomb moments before the leader was about to provide a speech.
Kishida was visiting the port of Saikazaki in Wakayama when an explosive device was dropped by an unnamed man hiding in a crowd of several hundred just before 11:30 am, KYODO messages reported.
An explosion was heard and the audience was sent to flee.
Kishida escaped unharmed and was taken to a vehicle from where he was evacuated to the Wakayama Prefectural Police Headquarters.
The suspect – identified as a young man – was knocked to the bottom by several uniformed and plainclothes law enforcement officials and arrested. In response to NHK, the Japanese public broadcaster, shortly before the arrest, the suspect could be seen holding a silver top hat.
The suspect remained in custody, in keeping with Wakayama Nishi police station officials, who said additional details could be released later. reported CNN.
Kishida was visiting the port to support and provides a speech in favor of the candidate of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
The attack didn’t appear to scare the prime minister. His speeches scheduled for Saturday afternoon, including in Wakayama, went ahead as planned.
He also made remarks on NHK in which Kishida apologized for the confusion. “We’re fighting in vital elections for our country,” he said.
The prime minister is predicted to hit the stump again in the country’s southern Oita prefecture on Sunday.
The incident got here just nine months after Kishida’s predecessor, Shinzo Abe, was shot dead while giving a campaign speech in the western city of Nara
The attack also comes as a series of Group of Seven ministerial meetings begins this weekend ahead of the May 19-21 summit that Kishida will host in Hiroshima.
With postal wires