TOKYO — A loud explosion occurred at a western Japanese port on Saturday throughout Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s go to, however there have been no accidents, Japan’s NHK tv reported.
Kishida was unhurt and evacuated to the Wakayama prefectural police headquarters, NHK mentioned.
The incident comes solely 9 months after Kishida’s predecessor, Shinzo Abe, was assassinated whereas delivering a marketing campaign speech within the western metropolis of Nara. The assassination shocked the nation and a subsequent investigation discovered holes in Abe’s safety, and led to reinforcement of Japan’s police safety measures.
The assault additionally comes as a sequence of Group of Seven ministerial conferences begins this weekend forward of the May 19-21 summit that Kishida will host in Hiroshima.
Kishida was visiting the Saikazaki port in Wakayama prefecture to cheer his ruling celebration’s candidate in a neighborhood election. The explosion occurred simply earlier than he was to start his speech, NHK mentioned.
A person believed to be a suspect was arrested on the scene, and NHK footage confirmed a number of uniformed and plainclothes cops gathered across the man, urgent him to the bottom and dragging him to the aspect.
The suspect, recognized solely as a younger male, allegedly threw the explosive, NHK mentioned.
One witness advised NHK that she was among the many crowd and noticed one thing come flying from behind and that there was a sudden loud noise and she or he fled along with her kids. Another witness mentioned folks have been screaming and that he noticed somebody being apprehended proper earlier than the explosion occurred.