Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida narrowly avoids an assassination attempt as a man throws a smoke bomb in his direction during a campaign event (video).

 Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida narrowly avoids an assassination attempt as a man throws a smoke bomb in his direction during a campaign event (video).

Assassination Attempt on Japanese PM (Video)

Fumio Kishida, the Prime Minister of Japan, narrowly escaped an assassination attempt on Saturday, April 15, when an explosion occurred at an outdoor speech venue. 

According to local news agency Kyodo news, a man was arrested for throwing what appeared to be a smoke bomb. Video footage released by Japan's public broadcaster NHK showed panicked members of the public fleeing and the suspect being apprehended after the explosion. 

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The footage also revealed several police officers restraining the suspect on the ground, while images depicted a silver cylinder that had been thrown towards Kishida. The incident unfolded in the city of Wakayama, shortly after Kishida's visit to the local Saikazaki Fishing Port. 

The circumstances of the suspected attack immediately drew comparisons to the assassination of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was shot during a campaign speech in Nara in July of the previous year.

Abe, the esteemed prime minister of Japan and the nation's longest-serving leader, was tragically targeted by a gunshot during a campaign speech to a small gathering near a railway station. The shocking attack sent shockwaves throughout Japan, a country known for its low crime rate and peaceful political landscape, as such incidents are exceedingly rare in this Asian nation.

Kishida had also taken the stage to deliver a political address, advocating for his ruling party's candidate in a local by-election for the House of Representatives in a district of Wakayama.

Assassination Attempt on Japanese PM (Video)

According to an account from a city council member who was present at the scene, as reported by NHK, a flying object described as "cylindrical" and silver in color had passed within approximately two meters of their location just before the explosion occurred.

Another eyewitness corroborated this description, stating that they also saw a silver cylinder being thrown, which emitted a brief shine before a loud noise followed.

Video footage from NHK revealed a young man with glasses, a mask, and a gray rucksack standing amidst a crowd gathered to witness Kishida's speech. The man was seen holding a silver cylinder and making hand gestures as if attempting to ignite it before being apprehended, as captured in the footage. Japanese officials later confirmed that Kishida was safe and unhurt. Watch the videos below for more details.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was evacuated unhurt after a suspect threw what appeared to be a smoke bomb at an outdoor speech in western Japan https://t.co/q7U9WXf0mR pic.twitter.com/aqLUUptkio

— Reuters (@Reuters) April 15, 2023