Japan Explosion: PM Fumio Kishida evacuated
Wakayam [Japan]: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was on Saturday evacuated from a venue in Wakayama city, after an explosion was heard, Japan public media NHK reported. As per Japanese officials, Kishida was safe and unharmed in the incident.
Video footage released by NHK showed members of the public fleeing and a man being arrested following the incident. Kishida was about to give an outdoor speech at the venue at the Japanese port city when according to NHK, an "explosion-like sound" was heard on the scene.
#Latest A man has been arrested in connection with the blast that occurred at the site of Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's speech in Wakayama City, western #Japan, on Saturday. https://t.co/236RvPbKy7 pic.twitter.com/h8JVeFRKEX
— CGTN (@CGTNOfficial) April 15, 2023
An NHK reporter present on the scene said it is "believed that something was thrown in and exploded", CNN reported. Kishida's predecessor, Shinzo Abe, was assassinated at close range in July 8, 2022 when he was delivering a speech at a political campaign rally event in the city of Nara.
First published: 15 April 2023, 9:54 IST