Japanese PM Fumio Kishida resumes campaigning after evacuation from apparent smoke bomb blast

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida resumed his campaign on Saturday after being evacuated unharmed from the scene of an apparent smoke bomb blast. The incident occurred in western Japan's Wakayama, less than a year after the assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abe.

About the incident earlier in the morning today

Kishida was in the city to deliver remarks in support of a ruling party candidate when a disturbance rippled through the crowd gathered to hear him speak. A blast was heard and white smoke filled the air. NHK footage showed the prime minister turned to look backwards as a person was detained by security and people moved away.

It is not immediately clear whether the silver, pipe-like object found on the ground caused the blast and smoke. NHK reported that a man had been arrested at the scene on suspicion of obstruction of business, but local police declined to comment.

Panic after the incident

People at the scene described moments of panic. One woman said, "I ran frantically, and then, 10 or so seconds later, there was a loud sound and my kid started crying. I was stunned, my heart is still beating fast."

A man at the scene said 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." Kishida was unharmed and soon resumed campaigning, including a stop at a local train station.

Official Response

Hiroshi Moriyama, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's election strategy chairman, called the incident an "unforgivable atrocity." Local campaign events in Japan can be relatively relaxed due to the country's low violent crime rate and strict gun laws. However, the assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abe last year forced a security shake-up for public officials. His alleged assassin, Tetsuya Yamagami, reportedly targeted him over his links to the Unification Church.

Security measures

The head of Japan's National Police Agency and the local police chief resigned in the wake of Abe's assassination after an investigation confirmed "shortcomings" in the former leader's security. The investigation slammed a system under which local police were given responsibility for the security of visiting senior officials.

The incident comes as Group of Seven climate and energy ministers meet in the northern city of Sapporo, a day before G7 foreign ministers arrive in Karuizawa in Nagano for talks. Japan is set to host the G7 leaders' summit next month in Hiroshima.