Global Courant 2023-04-15 08:01:53
TOKYO — A smoke bomb was reportedly thrown at Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida as he was about to deliver a speech at an open-air event in the city of Wakayama on Saturday, Japanese media reported. He’s unharmed.
A loud explosion was also heard, but the prime minister took cover and was unharmed while police at the scene restrained a man, public broadcaster NHK said.
Several reports, including from Kyodo news agency, said an apparent “smoke bomb” had been thrown, but there were no immediate signs of injuries or damage at the scene.
Public broadcast footage showed crowds running away as several police officers appeared to pin a person to the ground before removing him from the scene.
Kishida was about to give a speech after touring the fishing port in Wakayama when the incident happened, NHK said.
Mr. Kishida will host a summit of the leaders of the Group of Seven in Hiroshima next month.
The incident comes after former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was shot dead on the campaign trail last year by a lone assailant with a homemade gun. REUTERS, AFP
