Japanese PM Fumio Kishida was evacuated from a campaign event after someone threw an explosive device in the crowd. Police detained a suspect as screaming bystanders scrambled through the smoke filled air. 9News
Kishida was visiting the Saikazaki port in Wakayama prefecture to support his ruling party's candidate in a local election, and the explosion occurred just before he was to begin his speech.
It wasn't immediately clear what caused the explosion, but some reports said it was a smoke or pipe bomb. "Elections are the core of democracy and we should never tolerate threats or obstruction by violence, and I believe was the prime minister's judgment in that context," Matsuno said. Security has been also ramped up in Japan as senior diplomats from some of the world's most powerful democracies arrive for Sunday's G-7 foreign minister meetings.One witness Saturday told NHK television that she was standing in the crowd when she saw something come flying from behind.Another witness said people were screaming and that he saw someone being apprehended right before the explosion occurred.
The suspect, Tetsuya Yamagami, has been charged with murder and several other crimes, including violating the gun control law.Abe's alleged assassin told investigators that he killed Abe, one of Japan's most influential and divisive politicians, because of the former prime minister's apparent links to a religious group that he hated.
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