Japan’s PM Kishida evacuated after blast
Tokyo, The Gulf Observer: A loud explosion has occurred at a western Japanese port during Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visit, but there were no injuries, local media reported.
Kishida was visiting the Saikazaki port in Wakayama prefecture to cheer his ruling party’s candidate in a local election. There was an explosion just before he was to begin his speech, Japan’s NHK television reported on Saturday.
A man believed to be a suspect was apprehended at the scene, and NHK footage showed several uniformed and plainclothes police officers gathered around the man and pressing him to the ground.
A pipe-like object was thrown during Kishida’s outdoor in the city, Jiji news service said.
There was no immediate official confirmation of the incident, with local police declining to comment.The incident comes nine months after Kishida’s predecessor, Shinzo Abe, was assassinated while delivering a campaign speech.Japan has bolstered security after his assassination.The incident also comes as Japan hosts G7 ministerial events in northern Sapporo and the city of Karuizawa in Nagano, and ahead of the May leaders’ summit in Hiroshima.
