Wakayama: Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was evacuated after a loud explosion was heard just before he began a stump speech in Wakayama City on Saturday.
According to Japan Times, an apparent smoke or pipe bomb was thrown at the leader.
Kishida reacted
Hours after a bomb exploded during a Prime Minister's event, Kishida said he would continue to hold election rallies irrespective of what has happened today.
"We are now holding elections, the most important part of democracy for our country. I have to ask each and every one of you, who are the main players in this country, to clearly show your thoughts.
With that thought in mind, I continue to stand on the stage of street speeches. I am determined to carry this important election through to the end, working together with the people," Kishida said on Twitter.
Indian PM reacts
Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the act and expressed satisfaction as his Japanese counterpart was safe during the explosion.
Accused arrested
The report claimed that the incident happened when the leader was speaking with a candidate of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. Luckily, the 65-year-old leader was evacuated safely and was reportedly unhurt.
Meanwhile, the accused who threw the bomb-like substance has been arrested by the security officials present to guard the Prime Minister. The suspect, identified only as a young male, allegedly threw the explosive, NHK said.
One witness told NHK that she was among the crowd and saw something come flying from behind and that there was a sudden loud noise and she fled with her children. Another witness said people were screaming and that he saw someone being apprehended right before the explosion occurred.
The video footage, which is now viral on multiple social media platforms, showed people who gathered at the scene running for shelter. Meanwhile, in another video, a man was subdued by several others who appeared to be police officers at the scene.
Earlier last month, Kishida visited New Delhi, where he met his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi and held a series of meetings. Later, in a surprise visit, he landed in Ukraine's national capital Kyiv where he met his excellency Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Kishida’s predecessor shot just nine months ago
It is worth mentioning that the horrific incident came nearly nine months after Kishida’s predecessor, Shinzo Abe, was assassinated while delivering a campaign speech in Nara.
Abe, 67, was shot from behind in Nara in western Japan while giving a campaign speech. He was airlifted to a hospital and later pronounced dead. The attack was especially shocking in one of the world’s safest countries, where guns are strictly controlled.
