Japanese PM Vows Tighter Safety Of G7 Meetings After 'Smoke Bomb' Attack

On April 15, 2023, Fumio Kishida, the prime minister of Japan, makes a speech in support of the candidate of his party in a local election near a train station in Wakayama, Wakayama Prefecture, south-western Japan. —Reuters

TOKYO: A day after narrowly escaping an attack, Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida promised to ensure the security of the Group of Seven dignitaries visiting his country, starting with enhanced security for the climate ministers' meeting in Sapporo.

Akihiro Nishimura, Japan's environment minister, declared on Sunday: "This morning, my security was much tighter." Going outside into the city will probably be challenging because of how crowded it is.

During a campaign trip at a fishing port in western Japan on Saturday, a man pretended to throw a smoke bomb at Kishida, prompting bodyguards to carry him to safety.

Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada's minister of natural resources, claimed that the increased security "reflects the increasing challenge of being in politics these days."

Wilkinson continued, "Unfortunately, I believe that some of this has to do with social media and some of the false information that circulates online."

Ryuji Kimura, 24 years old, was named by police as the culprit in the incident that occurred on Saturday. According to the Kyodo news agency, he was apparently carrying a knife and may have dropped a second explosive device after being tackled by onlookers and law enforcement.

According to the media, the suspected attack, in which one police officer reportedly suffered a minor injury, had no known motivation.

Speaking to reporters, Kishida argued that Japan should not tolerate violent acts that undermine the foundation of democracy.

The former prime minister Shinzo Abe was shot with a homemade gun while running for office in July, and his bomb scare in the Wakayama area near Osaka was a chilling echo of that crime.

In Japan, where gun crimes are incredibly rare, Abe's murder shook the nation and prompted a rethink of security for politicians who frequently interact with the public.

On April 23, by-elections for the lower house of parliament will take place in Japan.

Hirokazu Matsuno, the chief cabinet secretary, stated on Saturday that the government would take all necessary measures to maintain security when Kishida hosts other G7 leaders in May in his hometown of Hiroshima and that police have been directed to increase protection.

British Secretary of State for Energy Security Grant Shapps remarked, "As politicians, we sometimes have to go out and campaign -- it means we have to be exposed to the public."

However, Shapps said, "I am confident that we are completely safe in the context of the G7 with our prime minister and other world leaders coming to Japan."

On Sunday, the G7 foreign ministers meet in Karuizawa, a tourist destination.