In brief
The attack shocked the nation, occurring less than a year after the assassination of Shinzo Abe.
A court in Japan has handed down a 10-year prison sentence to Ryuji Kimura, a 25-year-old man found guilty of attempting to murder then-prime minister Fumio Kishida using a homemade explosive. The incident took place in April 2023, during a political event in the city of Wakayama, where Kimura threw the bomb just before Kishida was set to deliver a speech. While no one was killed in the attack, two people sustained injuries from the bomb's detonation, which was confirmed as a pipe device filled with gunpowder. Kimura's actions were deemed to be motivated by a desire for public recognition, amidst unremarkable responses to his political posts on social media. This incident marked a concerning trend in Japan, where political violence is typically rare but had already been shaken by the assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abe in July 2022. Abe was shot dead while giving a campaign speech, prompting widespread criticism of security protocols. While Kishida's security detail successfully ensured his safety in this latest incident, the explosive act has left many on edge about the future of political safety in Japan. In a ruling quoted by NHK, the court emphasized the societal fear that Kimura’s act of targeting a serving prime minister instilled. Law enforcement later found additional explosives in Kimura's possession, as well as materials indicating premeditation, underscoring the severity of his crimes. Following the trial's conclusion, Kishida stepped down from office in October, adding another layer of turmoil to Japan's political landscape.
