Japan’s PM resumes election speech schedule after bomb scare

BLOOMBERG

Japanese Prime Minister (PM) Fumio Kishida returned to the campaign trail after being targeted by an explosive device at an event he attended in central Japan, weeks before he hosts the Group of Seven (G-7) world leaders for a summit.
A 24-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion he threw an explosive in Kishida’s direction just as he was about to give a speech to a crowd in the western prefecture of Wakayama, Kyodo News said, citing sources close to the investigation. Kishida was evacuated unharmed, and later resumed his schedule of speeches ahead of a series of by-elections. One police officer was slightly injured.
The event has chilling echoes of the fatal shooting of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during a stump speech before last year’s upper house elections. Five by-elections are set to be held next weekend, including in the constituency left vacant by Abe’s death.
The incident also calls into question security arrangements for the G-7 summit to be held in May in Kishida’s home town of Hiroshima, as well as related ministerial meetings all over the country.
The premier was touring a fishing port in support of a candidate from his Liberal Democratic Party and was about to address a gathering when the blast occurred. Video shown by broadcaster TBS on its website showed a young man with a backpack being tackled and held down by a group of people, followed by the sound of an explosion and screams, while smoke spread across the area.
Support for the premier has been buoyed in recent weeks by his visit to Ukraine, as well as progress towards reconciliation in a long-running feud with South Korea. That’s renewed speculation that he might call a general election in the coming months if the by-elections and summit both go smoothly.