The Japanese Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida, was evacuated safely from a smoke bomb scare and went back to his campaign trail on Saturday. He was luckily unharmed from the episode. The shocking incident in Wakayama, Japan, occurs within a year of the assassination of former PM Shinzo Abe. This atrocious crime has traumatised the nation and pressed for more stringent protection measures for public figures.
Kishida had recently finished tasting samples of fish in the city when a disruption spread throughout the crowd that had come to hear him speak in support of a ruling party candidate. Per footage by Japanese broadcaster NHK, the Prime Minister was seen presently looking back as an individual was apprehended by security and people swiftly left the area, with some of them screaming.
Fumio Kishida | Yahoo News/STR/JIJI Press/AFP via Getty Images
A few moments later, there was a loud explosion and the area was engulfed in white smoke.
The visuals from the local news outlet displayed a silver, tube-shaped object on the ground after an explosion and the fumes. It was unclear if that had caused it. NHK reported that an individual had been arrested and accused of hampering the business operations on-site. The local police, however, declined to provide any comment.
The crowd present at the location recounted brief periods of fear and anxiety. Kishida emerged unscathed and began campaigning again, paying a visit to a nearby train station. This Saturday afternoon, he was scheduled to attend a stop in Chiba, which is situated east of Tokyo.
Japan is largely a peaceful country with low levels of violent crime, and stringent laws on guns, so attending campaign events there can be a more laid-back experience in terms of security. In the wake of Abe’s tragic assassination in July 2022, security measures around politicians were stepped up significantly. His death during a political campaign highlighted the need for greater protection and safeguarding.
