Tokyo (EFE).- The Japanese authorities confirmed this Saturday that the man arrested for launching an explosive cylinder towards the Japanese Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, is a 24-year-old man named Ryuji Kimura, in the Hyogo prefecture, west of the country. .
At the time of the arrest, Kimura was carrying another metallic object, which is believed to be a pipe bomb as well, and is now in custody, although he has refused to testify until his lawyer arrives.
The incident took place in the port of the city of Wakayama (west) around 11:30 local time (2:30 GMT), when a strong explosion was recorded and a column of smoke was observed in the place where the speech was scheduled. of Kishida’s campaign and in which there were hundreds of people gathered to listen to him.
“I saw that something was launched, but I was able to escape and at that time I could hear the explosion,” said the prime minister, who also pointed out that despite the incident “he will continue with his electoral acts scheduled for today and tomorrow,” in statements to a high official of his party collected by the state chain NHK.
Second attack on a prime minister
In the images taken by NHK at the scene, a group of five policemen can be seen immobilizing the alleged perpetrator on the ground, in addition to the rest of the people fleeing the area screaming.
Although at first they had ruled out injuries, the Japanese authorities said that a police officer would have suffered minor injuries after the event.
The incident, recorded during a campaign speech at street level, is reminiscent of the one that took place last July when former Japanese president Shinzo Abe died after being shot in the back with a homemade firearm while participating in an electoral act. of the same type in the city of Nara.
In addition, the event occurs the same weekend that Japan hosts two G7 ministerial meetings, Foreign Affairs and Energy and Environment.
A summit of leaders of that group of countries is scheduled for the end of next month in the city of Hiroshima.