Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida resumed campaigning on Saturday, shortly after being evacuated unharmed from the scene of an apparent “smoke bomb” blast, local media reported.
The incident in Wakayama came less than a year after the assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abe.
“There was a loud blast sound at the previous speech venue. Police are investigating details, but I’d like to apologize for worrying many people and causing them trouble,” national broadcaster quoted Kishida as saying at a stop in western Japan’s Wakayama.
The police have detained a man, who is believed to be a suspect who threw a pipe-like object near the venue of Japanese prime minister during his outdoor speech. Videos from the Saikazaki fishing harbour show the public fleeing and a man being arrested following the incident.
Security at local campaign events in Japan can be relatively relaxed, in a country with little violent crime and strict gun laws. But the country beefed up security around politicians after the assassination of Abe, who was shot and killed while speaking at a campaign event in July 2022.