TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was evacuated from a port in Wakayama after a blast was heard, but he was unharmed in the incident, local media reported Saturday (Apr 15).
Several reports, including by Kyodo news agency, said an apparent “smoke bomb” had been thrown but there were no immediate signs of injuries or damage at the scene.
A person was detained at the site in western Japan’s Wakayama where Kishida had been due to give a speech, national broadcaster NHK and others said.
There was no immediate official confirmation of the incident, with local police declining to comment.
NHK showed footage of security and police detaining an individual as a crowd scattered at the scene.
Reports said a pipe-like object was thrown near Kishida and an explosion-like sound was heard at the scene.
Kishida then took cover at the site of the explosion site and remained safe, said NHK.
News footage then appeared to show officers subduing and removing a man as people cleared the area.
Japan has bolstered security after the assassination of former prime minister Shinzo Abe, who was shot and killed while speaking at a campaign event in July 2022.
The incident comes as Japan hosts G7 ministerial events in northern Sapporo and the city of Karuizawa in Nagano, and ahead of the May leaders’ summit in Hiroshima.