Man Detained and Blast Heard During Japanese PM Campaign

Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was evacuated unharmed from the port site after a loud explosion was heard just before he began a stump speech in the city of Wakayama, Japan, April 15, 2023. Police say they have arrested a suspect but have given no indication as to a motive. No injuries have been reported. Kishida was evacuated from the scene by automobile. He will continue his political activities later Saturday as planned, his ruling Liberal Democratic Party said via Twitter. The incident was especially unnerving since it came just eight months after former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was assassinated by a man with a homemade gun during a public political event. Political violence has been extremely rare in Japan in recent decades. But the Abe assassination prompted calls for tighter security at political events, where politicians frequently interact with citizens in a highly personal manner.