Video: Smoke bomb hurled at Japanese PM Fumio Kishida

A man, on the ground, who threw what appeared to be a smoke bomb, is caught at a port in Wakayama. Photo: Associated Press.

Tokyo: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on Saturday escaped unhurt after a smoke bomb was hurled at him ahead of his scheduled speech at the Saikazaki Port in Wakayama prefecture, local media reported.

According to public broadcaster NHK, Kishida left the spot immediately after the incident.

Japanese Prime Minister, Fumio Kishida was Evacuated during a Speech at a Fishing Pier in the Wakayama Region after a Person in the Crowd threw what was initially believed to be an “Explosive Device” at the Prime Minister; the Object later turned out be a Smoke Canister/Grenade. pic.twitter.com/ps91HUCMMm
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) April 15, 2023

In a report, Kyodo News said that the person who threw the smoke bomb was apprehended by police.

The Prime Minister was campaigning for a lower house by-election for the Wakayama No. 1 district.

The incident comes less than a year after former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was fatally shot during a campaign event in July 2022.