Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida Attacked By Political Radical

A man, believed to be a suspect who threw a pipe-like object near Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during his outdoor speech, is held by police officers. Photo: Reuters/Kyodo

Around 11 a.m. on April 15, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was attacked by a man at the Saikazaki fishing port in Wakayama, a prefecture in southwestern Japan. He was campaigning for a candidate of his ruling party, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), in the upcoming local election. 

When Kishida was about to start delivering an outdoor speech, the young man hiding in the crowd suddenly threw an explosive device at Kishida. Smoke ensued, and Kishida was soon alarmed and started looking around. In a released video clip, a fisherman tussled with the suspect, who was shortly cornered and subdued by the plain clothed and uniformed police. Eventually, Kishida was evacuated unhurt, and only one police officer suffered minor injuries. 

In the afternoon, Kishida finished his speech at the railroad station in Wakayama and continued his campaign in other prefectures around the country. On Monday, the suspect was sent to prosecutors.

According to the Japanese police, the suspect is called Ryuji Kimura. In 2022, Kimura tried to register as a candidate for the 2022 Japanese Senate Election but was rejected. According to the Public Offices Election Act (POEA) in Japan, a Senate candidate must be older than 30 and provide three million Yen (about $22,820). Kimura failed to meet both requirements.

In June 2022, Kimura sued the Japanese government for the POEA violating the Japanese Constitution, which states that all are equal under the law. The Kobe District Court, nonetheless, ruled that the POEA requirements were reasonable and reversed the suit. Not convinced at all, he brought another lawsuit to the Osaka Supreme Court, which was set to be processed in May 2023. As reported by Yomiuri Shimbun, a Japanese newspaper, Kimura has long been dissatisfied with the Japanese electoral system.

Alleged bomb attacker Ryuji Kimura is sent to prosecutors on Monday morning. Photo: Yomiuri Shimbun

In July 2022, former Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo was assassinated while delivering an outdoor campaign speech in Nara, a prefecture in Southern Japan. In less than a year, another attempted assassination of the incumbent Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida occurred. In contrast, in the past 15 years before 2022, violent attacks on incumbent or retired politicians had never happened in Japan.

Analysts pointed out that the series of assassinations may lead to doubt about the renowned public safety in Japan. Also, the crime rate in Japan increased in 2022, which is unprecedented since the new millennium. Political polarization among Japanese politicians and the general public continued, and on the international stage, Japan became progressively active in affairs with North Korea, Russia, and China. All these, along with the attempted assassination of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, reflect an unprecedented uncertainty in Japanese politics now and in the future.