Report: Japan PM Unharmed Following Blast During Speech, Attacker Caught

After a bomb and white smoke filled the air on Saturday during a campaign speech, local media reported that Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was safely evacuated from the location unhurt. Less than a year had passed since the Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe's murder, which shocked the nation and required a security shake-up for public leaders. When a ruckus erupted among the audience assembled to hear Kishida speak, he had just finished sampling fish at a port while in the western city to make statements in support of a candidate for the ruling party. National broadcaster NHK saw the prime minister turning to look behind him as people backed away, some yelling, as a person was apprehended by security. A blast was heard and white smoke started to fill the air a short while afterwards. According to NHK, a guy was detained at the site on suspicion of obstructing commerce. The incident was not immediately officially confirmed, and the local police declined to comment. Witnesses at the scene mentioned having panic attacks. "I hurriedly ran, and about ten or so seconds later, there was a huge noise, and my child began to sob. One woman said to NHK, "I was astonished, and my pulse is still pounding quickly. The broadcaster was told by a witness that "when we all stopped in front of the podium, someone started saying 'culprit!' or something, or 'an explosive was thrown,' so everyone started dispersing fast." Then, he continued, "about ten seconds after the offender was apprehended, there was a blast." "Inexcusable atrocity" According to reports, Kishida was unharmed and might still show up at later-scheduled campaign events. "It is terrible that anything like this occurred during an election campaign, which is the cornerstone of democracy. The chairman of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's election strategy, Hiroshi Moriyama, told NHK that it was an unpardonable atrocity. As a nation with few violent crimes and tight gun regulations, Japan can afford to be relatively casual about security at local political rallies. However, following the murder of Abe, who was shot and died while speaking at a campaign rally in July 2022, the nation increased security around leaders. Tetsuya Yamagami, his claimed assassin, allegedly did so because of his connections to the Unification Church, and the incident led to information regarding the relationship between the religion and influential people in Japanese politics. According to reports, Yamagami was irate with the cult for significant gifts his mother had made to them, which had put the family in financial ruin. After Abe's murder, the chief of Japan's National Police Agency resigned after an inquiry revealed "shortcomings" in the former prime minister's protection. The investigation came to the conclusion that "it is deemed highly probable that this incident could have been prevented" with adequate protection. After Abe's passing, the local police chief in Nara also tendered his sorrowful resignation. A day before the G7 foreign ministers gather in Karuizawa in Nagano for negotiations, the event occurs as the Group of Seven climate and energy ministers convene in the northern city of Sapporo. The G7 leaders' summit will take place in Japan's Hiroshima next month.