Explosion at Japan port during PM Kishida visit, no injuries

Japan Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was rushed to safety Saturday after a man tossed what appeared to be a smoke bomb moments before the leader was set to give a speech. 

Kishida was visiting the Saikazaki port in Wakayama when the explosive was thrown from an unnamed man hiding in a crowd of several hundred people just before 11:30 a.m., KYODO News reported.

An explosion was heard and the audience was sent fleeing.

Kishida was unharmed and whisked away into a vehicle, where he was evacuated to the Wakayama prefectural police headquarters.

The suspect — identified only as a young male — was tackled to the ground by several uniformed and plainclothes police officers and arrested. Shortly before the arrest, the suspect can be seen holding a silver cylinder, according to NHK, Japan’s public broadcaster. 

The suspect remained in custody, according to Wakayama Nishi Police Station officials, who said additional details would be forthcoming later, CNN reported. 

Kishida had been visiting the port to support and give a speech in favor of a candidate of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

The attack did not seem to phase the Prime Minister. His stump speeches planned for Saturday afternoon, including in Wakayama, went ahead as scheduled.

He also delivered remarks on NHK, in which Kishida apologized for the disturbance. “We are fighting an important election for our country,” he said.   

The Prime Minister is expected to hit the stump again in the country’s southern Oita prefecture on Sunday.

The incident comes just nine months after Kishida’s predecessor, Shinzo Abe, was shot to death while giving a campaign speech in the western city of Nara

The attack also comes as a series of Group of Seven ministerial meetings begins this weekend ahead of the May 19-21 summit that Kishida will host in Hiroshima.

With Post wires